Mumsnet Talk

Pretty much all of my friends and colleagues seem to hate her! Something about setting women back 60 years.

I like her - and all the craft stuff. I don't see that she is setting women back or being anti-feminist. Surely feminism is about choice so she is choosing to live the way she does - and has the freedom to do that.

In interviews she always seems pretty straightforward and doesn't hide who she is. She is a bit posh but that is who she is - no point hiding the accent! Maybe I am biased because I love all the crafty homemaking type stuff. (And her clothes.)

"For some women, the wedding-veil canopies, crocheted jellyfish mobiles and calli-graphy place cards in Kirstie’s Vintage Home (more recession-friendly than her previous books and television series, it has tips on how to transform old fabrics and furniture into modern-day treasures) are not only off-message but demeaning. Sally Bercow called one of her shows 'condescending, too-good-to-be-true, middle-class nonsense’.

Allsopp is unflustered by such criticism. 'When people call me a 1950s housewife trying to take us back – that’s so wrong,’ she says. 'I consider myself a feminist. I have the most balanced and equal relationship with my husband. Likewise at work with Phil [Spencer, her 'TV husband’ of the past 13 years]. He’s paid the same as me and I expect to get paid the same as any of the men on Channel 4.’"

www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9599318/Kirstie-Allsopp-televisions-crafty-lady.html

I love her, funnily enough dp and I were just saying how much we like her last night. She was on an old Location Location Location. I didn't realise she was so disliked?

I like a bit of craft myself and enjoy those programmes, I may even get a book now I know she's done some?

She is unbearable! Sexist and absolutely should be shot for her property advice as it does not always go up and is not always an investment and she always advises to stretch yourself initially financially and then back tracks in a down turn. Awful woman she has a 1950s fantasy in her head which she can indulge because of her background and wealth and is totally unrealistic about your average womans life. She made a total arse of herself on question time though which delighted me

I like her.

<hands noddy a crotcheted egg cosy>

I think she's like Nigella.

I have to say I like her on Location, Location but as I hate crafts and Homemade stuff, can't watch her programme.

She has - I think - 3 books. One for each craft series. There is a new one about having a vintage home starting soon!

I have two craft books and am debating getting the next one. Might watch the series first!

I would love to see beeny kick her ass

I like her

I can't stand her!

I love her!

Does anyone actually make her stuff?

Yanbu I love her.

I have made a few things - pretty little felt hearts! - but I am a bit craft mad.

I don't dislike her but, like Nigella, she makes me feel totally inadequate!

How is she sexist?

"So where does this Stepford wife misconception come from?

'I once very controversially said if I wanted to get something out of Ben, I waited until he had dinner,’ she says with a grimace, then whispers, 'but ask any woman: it’s true! You need to feed boys if you want them to do something.’"

Why would it be unreasonable to like her?

People have different tastes - clearly some people must like her because she keeps being allowed back on TV. Unless you think that people tune in just to enjoy hating her?

Surely feminism is about choice

Not necessarily, not if your choices are damaging other women/people.

(that's a general point, not a specific Kirstie-related point)

<decorates Noddy with homemade bunting>

I like making rather lopsided things so Kirsty gets a big thumbs up from me.

I heart Kirsty.

She has said we have forgotten our traditional roles in favour of paid work
Has said household finance 'too thinky' but sewing and baking not?
Shall I go on

She is my dh's celeb crush

GoatsHaveStangeEyes If I were going to have a girl crush it would be Kirstie.

She said WE have ALL benefited from the massive increase in the cost of housing.

Which rather suggests that, to her, proles don't count as people. She and her establishment set have done very nicely.

She is like a tory dolly. When they have tired of her she will be tossed aside I am sure.

I like her. She's a bit of a cliche and not very aware of what's happening outside her own demographic, but so are lots of people.

Sally Bercow called one of her shows 'condescending, too-good-to-be-true, middle-class nonsense’.

I like her even more now. Sally Bercow gets on my tits.

She didn't make quite as much of a tit of herself on QT as Carol Vorderman did, mind. Oh, good god...

I luffs her and all her program's. I want her house her Christmas and her craftiness. I want her bluebell garden to. I wish she would do more housey stuff with the auction rooms again. It made me think about not buying new furniture. I don't think she's a Tory dolly either or patronising.

I also love that she always wears skirts.

‘If you do what your partner prefers, he is happy and the children have a great time too.’ If that's not a Stepford sentiment I don't know what is.

I don't mind her on Location x3 but her crafty programmes are beyond twee. I have no fucking interest in watching you make some stained glass to hang in your Dorsey holiday home. I have no fucking interest in waiting with baited breath to see if your elderflower cordial wins a ribbon at the village fete.

what noddy said I can't stand her all thisfloaty nonses really gets on my wick isn't she realted to Laura Ashley or is it somebody else

I loved listening to her faux altruistic arguments for sending her children to private school when she appeared on Question Time recently (the debate included issues about social mobility) - hilarious.

Luckily someone in the audience called her on it and asked her if they were the only reasons she went private - tellingly she did not respond.

I like Kirstie, most of all I admire her confidence.
She can be a little bit irritating though...

I bet she says luffs too fgs we are women

I have no fucking interest in waiting with baited breath to see if your elderflower cordial wins a ribbon at the village fete.

How does saying luff mean you are not a woman? Didn't realise certain. Words were for certain genders

It sounds infantile but just imo

She's too bossy britches with the lovely Phil these days.

I like her. I think everyone is best approached with a full stomach.

I would rather ask a contented person a favour than an uncontented one. I don't think that's sexist. It's common sense.

I don't wait till I have fed DH though, I wait till he has had a bottle of wine

I think she's fab. I didn't realise she had so much power she could set an ENTIRE generation of women back 60 years... . If you don't like her, just change channel, surely?

Why would anyone waste evenings making STufF when they could be lolling in front of Xfactor or browsing mumsnet. Strewth get a life!

Some stuff is worth making. Sloe gin, for example.

I bet most people who watch her don't actually make stuff. They just like seeing her make stuff. Like cookery shows. They are entertainment more than instruction.

What noddy said. She makes me feel very stabby indeed.
Beeny on the other hand...

I don't dislike her but she isn't Sarah Beeny

I bloody love Sarah Beeny!

I like a lot of her crafts but some I do just watch. Too much equipment needed and I already have a craft mountain!

I would pinch her wardrobe though.

She reminds me a bit of girls at school.

I LIKE twee!!

I like her in Location, but not so keen on her crafty programmes.

I don't like her clothes though, think they make her look loads bigger than she probably is.

How does saying luff mean you are not a woman?

It doesn't. It just makes you sound a bit thick.

But I LUFF saying luff!

I really like her, she is none offensive imo!
I like Phil more though housewife crush!

I really like her, yes she's posh and has tv programmes about making pointless crafty things but she's not sanctimonious about it unlike that twat hugh wassisname with his foraged ingredients and corn fed chickens in his back garden that everyone has time for ofc.

Really thick because you say LUFF. I would say it's more thick to never expand on the beautiful English language, which is always expanding.

I also think it's thick to expect people to only like the same type of programs/people as well, very small minded right there.

I would also say if people didn't like her she wouldn't keep getting new series, which she is in November

I like her. She comes across as friendly, warm-hearted and genuine. And if she likes crafty stuff then good for her.

Sarah Beeny always looks a bit sneery and her smiles look fake with cold eyes.

I find her rather practical. True, shes not interested in the sort of things I'm interested in, but I generally find she is right about things. I liked her comments about paternal leave being mainly useless (about time someone said it), and shes determined, and knows about the property market.

I enjoy the practical, no nonsense, down to earth advice in one of her books. Like 'Dont put an armchair in the bathroom, it will get damp'.

I paraphrase but,well, seriously?.

I like what I see of her on the screen.

I don't like what I've heard about her where she's apparently almost a stepford wife at home.

I think her dress sense sucks

I get a bit annoyed with her craft program when she has a go at something for about 30 seconds and then gets the expert to finish it.

I wish we had real craft programs on tv with skilled people on them. It would make a change from cooking all the time.

Total girl-crush.

She can come and talk sense into me.

She's one of four Tories I secretly quite like.

The others being Boris, Gary Barlow and Ken Clarke.


The rest can fook emselves....

I do like Boris

He is far cleverer than he makes out

I loved his "Is Dave here?"

I loathe Tories, really properly loathe them.

But I have a secret hankering to turn her. She is warm, funny and intelligent - I KNOW I can turn her.

I really like her. I always think she comes across as a nice, warm and friendly person. Never thought her sexist tbh and craft is not really my thing but if she likes it then what's the harm?!

I luff her. Always strikes me as very straight, very sensible...and with that alluring, Head Girl vibe.

I don't agree in cooking for your DH, though, before you ask him to do something...I much prefer my tried and tested method of offering sexual favours, instead.

Because I hate cooking, but rather like sex

I would say takeaway offering sexual favours and then getting what you want

I simply can't stand her.

I think it's her clothes and squeaky voice and atrocious hair.

<shallow>

I like her. Mostly. Watching her cock up batches of scones was fairly amusing, although having made several liters of sloe gin I now find it gives the worst ever hangovers. Even just a small glass. Evil.

These was one show where she had the most revolting lipstick on, I kept fiddling with the brightness on the TV to see if I could tone it down for her.

I like her, she seems natural when she is on TV. Her relationship with Phil spencer on Location, Location,Location is one of the few 'tv partnerships' that comes across as real. They are fun to watch.
Her jolly hockey sticks persona is a bit unusual in TV these days but I think she carries it off.
I like crafts but I find her craft shows a bit too twee.

She's lovely in rl, she lives about 10minutes away from where I do, and used to go into the shop-come-cafe that my nan worked in quite regularly.

My friends mum has a HUGE girl crush on her, and friend + her mum happened to bump into her outside of the cinema. Friends mum went very star struck and asked to shake her hand!

Not really a fan and think it insulting to Nigella to compare them

Her clothes are horrendous she seems years older than me i think we are the same age. Many of the mums at ds school are followers. They seem to like nothing better than talking about decorating and cake baking professional mummys. Seems fashionable to be twee at the moment I blame Kirstie

I think she's great. She's my fantasy BFF.

...and what's wrong with twee? The world could use a little more, I think.

I love her & I would happily marry phil spencer (but suspect he may not be very tall? therefore unsuitable for me). yanbu, she is lovely.
do you think she really does the crafts? i doubt it. probably like that anthea turner housewife thing - tv sham.

I have the biggest girl crush on her - even if I do find her voice quite irritating and in theory dislike her or reasons mentioned above.

However.

I love her dresses and her crafty programmes and her house and her Christmas

I actually quite like her too! Think I kind of fancy her a bit.

X posts twll!

I think it is her rosy cheeks that do it for me!

What's wrong with twee well it all seems a little dated imo something my nanny was expected to be but thankfully those who do not want to be no longer are expected to be

I like her, I wonder why liking to be creative is considered anti feminist, I consider myself a feminist but I also happen to like making jam, sewing. knitting, gardening, cooking, upholstery and all things craft, I am also for the record a bit of a frugal zealot, so it fits in with my life.
I do it because I enjoy it, I have made a compost bin which I made from palettes, a raised veg bed I made from a...umm old bed, today I made apple jelly from apples I foraged and decorated a old shoe box for packing my Jams, preserves, salsas, cakes, pickles and Jelly's to give to people for Christmas.

I would much rather spend 2 hours walking in the woods and another hour making a jam from what I collected, than be in a supermarket, and my boys love running about making dens, exploring and generally having a good time, instead for wandering round a supermarket, they also help me make stuff and are very proud of their efforts.

the only thing I don't like is this year some twat completely cleared the 2 crab apple trees I have used happily for years before they where ready, I have no idea what they would do with that much jelly, my needs where always satisfied with a one off visit and a carrier bag full of apples and I was giving it away, as I had too much for my needs, and you wouldn't have known I had been there.

upholstery classes I used to do 10 lessons for 58 quid plus materials, they are now 260 pounds!!! and still with materials on top, blood years I did this, now I can't afford it. so on those points I could dislike the likes of Kirsty an Hugh, but I don't it isn't them it is twats who want to cash in, some people watching these programs will be happy to be take what they need, and find something worthwhile to do, most will watch it like I do cooking programs, salivating then cook the same thing they always have.

I love her on location, have caught small bits of the craft programme but didn't watch a full episode.

I'm sure I read somewhere that one of the crafty experts she went to see said she was horrible during filming. Totally uninterested, got a minion to do 95% of it. Then when the camera were on turned on the charm and pretended shed done this thing that she hadn't.

She seems quite ok on twitter.

Same here. I've always loved browsing, buying, obsessing over and living with old furniture and household goods. And I always will, regardless of whether or not it's considered fashionable, middle class, twee or any of those other dreadful things. I spent years in the wilderness while everybody else was buying black glass coffee tables and thought old stuff was weird, so I'm sticking by "twee" now.

I love Kirstie AND I love Beeny.

I saw Sarah b buying cushions in a shop near me. She hada nice coat.

Beeny is my hero.

I thought she was great on 'the hotel'. Really down to earth and much more in tune with the reality of life for the trainees than Mary Portas or Gordon Ramsay. She seems very genuine and kind and its not her fault she is posh! Would rather spend time in her company than many other supposed salt of the earth celebrities or reality tv 'stars'.

Who is she?

I love Kirsty but not so much the new crafty persona.

She has my body shape pretty much exactly and I read an interview with her saying that her body doesn't suit trousers; that she only wears dresses and skirts.

I took her cue and stopped wearing trousers about 5 years ago. And she was right - I look a million times better in a skirt

So for that fashion tip alone, I am grateful.

I fear however if I tried to be her BFF she wouldn't have it - am too much of a pleb!

YABU. Tory.

MrsJay not Laura Ashley as far as I know but Cath Kidston is Kirstie's cousin.

FWIW I love Kirstie. I like that she just comes across as a lovely, friendly, jolly person. There is enough sadness & depression in real life, a bit of jolliness on TV (albeit posh, twee, chintzy etc) can only be a good thing IMO.

Likewise Sarah Beeny.

She's great teamed with Phil on the property shows but she just exploits the craft scene for cash. She's tapped into it and now endorses anything.
I know one of the artists featured in her Homemade home who is riding on the back of it so I suppose that's something.....not just Kirsty milking it then.

That place she did up in Devon is actually a holiday let and she makes tons of cash from that too.

Sarah beany is just so whiny though. At least Kirstie smiles and seems to mean it.

YANBU. I like her. I especially like Location although I preferred the old 30 minute format.

I met her once and thought she was warm and genuine. Was on a train with her and it was all very bizarre as I was heavily pregnant and she sparked up a conversation about my bump and the whole time I was thinking 'you're Kirsty off the tv' and wondered if I should mention it.

She lives on a different planet to me but seems very likeable....

One of my best friends is very posh & reminds me a bit of Kirstie; except she's tiny at size 6-8 - i'm more Kirstie's size!

I do like the house in 'Kirstie's Homemade Home' - love that she calls it a cottage though; my house would fit in a corner of that house!

Beeny is wonderful - practical, knowledgeable and intelligent (and beautiful).

Allsop is a Tory bossyboots.

I love her and I'm a dyed in the wool feminist.

I adore baking, crafts and drinking wine faffing in the kitchen. She is right up my alley.

"I would say takeaway offering sexual favours and then getting what you want"

[wonders why in 10 years of marriage, she never thought of that ]

I think Kirstie and I would get on like a house on fire...in fact, I'm sort of a taller, more blonde (less posh voiced) version.

I happen to spend many a happy hour, re-arranging my linen cupboard and tucking scented lavender sachets between the sheets. Bliss.

Meant to add, my friend works in PR, and has worked with many of the supposedly normal, friendly, girl/boy next-door type celebrities...most of them were absolutely vile, and up their own arses to the nth degree.

Whereas, Kirstie is apparently genuinely friendly, and nice - with a lovely, dry sense of humour

I like Kirstie on Location Location Location. I love posh accents (also because not being English posh accents are easier to understand). Never seen her other programs or indeed I wasn't aware she had them (not in the UK)

Her clothes are horrendous she seems years older than me i think we are the same age. Many of the mums at ds school are followers. They seem to like nothing better than talking about decorating and cake baking professional mummys. Seems fashionable to be twee at the moment I blame Kirstie

So it's ok to criticise a woman for her clothes and criticise women for enjoying baking........erm........why?

I am a professional woman who in my spare time loves to decorate cakes. I do these for family and friends as a hobby. Why do women have to be so critical of others?

I always think she and I would have a right old laugh together. I can see why she wouldn't be some people's cup of tea (no pebbly shit in her house ) but I love to see what she is wearing and enjoy her crafting programmes.

In fact, I only discovered her while watching a rerun of Homemade Home, while sprawled out on the sofa feeling poorly and very sorry for myself.

It inspired me to try making a few bits and I am now a confident sewer, knitter and crocheter. So there <puts out tongue>

Hear, hear soverylucky

Kirsty's fine.
DD1 and I enjoy a cup of tea and a nice homely craft show.

My arty DD likes to unwind with bits of knitting, sewing and felting.

She also likes doing something tough and technical out doors too.

she comes across as very likeable

agree, I would not dress, decorate or live like her

but so what? she seems warm and I like her

Thank goodness we are not all alike ... some will love her, some won't... bet the same can be said for you and I!

I enjoy her crafts et al. She's a good business woman too. Goof for her. To each their own.

Vile Tory hausfrau.

If we ever get a public enquiry on the housing crisis in Britain then she'd be one of those on the stand for her part in inflating the bubble.

I applaud her for making money renting out her holiday let; she is a business woman after all. The presenting, endorsements, renting out etc are her career, she isn't doing it as a friendly service.

I like the fact you can tell when she dislikes a couple on Location, Location , Location. She's not very good at hiding her impatience.

I think she is positively ghaaaastly.

I used to think she was all right - she is certainly knowledgeable on Location and very engaging with Phil - but then I saw a show where it had outtakes of Location and she was unspeakably nasty to some crew members (odd that they showed it, or perhaps it was revenge ha!), then she made a comment in the Times that 'come on let's stop talking about the recession now and the bankers, it is all rather tiresome' and then to top it all she made that godawful show making lampshades and candles. She sums up some kind of terrible zeitgeist - the hubris of the property market in the last decade, the arrogance of the bankers and the tory elite to normal people living in the recession and the fact that women can soothe all of this by making some hideously twee shit to decorate their houses.

I'm sure she's married to a banker. Unsurprisingly.

I like her, despite her being a Tory. i disagree with much of what comes out of her mouth, but that doesn't make her less likeable. I hope that she is as jolly and warm irl, as she is on Location.

I think the craft series was a mistake - people find it irritating and smug, especially when they have real things to worry about, other than whether their embroidery turns out okay.

I think it's unfair to condemn her for property advice she might have given back in 1992 (or whenever the repeats hail from). She gave the best advice she could , with the information available at the time. If she's still telling people to stretch themselves, then fair enough to be critical.

What she peddles isn't art its craft

It's not even craft. It's tat.

I know . I am amazed at all the defenders here saying 'just cos she speaks posh' when I think her voice is irrelevant A lot of my rl friends speak like her but there the similarity ends

Hats off to her for making the property she designed for Homemade Home, into a successful holiday let - what should she have done with it

Obviously, I'm sure that if in the same position, critical MN-etters would have declared grandly 'No, I refuse to make a penny from it...I shall donate it free to the citizens of the country to play in it, as and when they please.'

holiday homes do have a detrimental effect on the ability of locals and their children to afford a home it is a huge problem as the people who live and work in those locations just cannot compete with the money from outside.

Well, I do like a posh accent, same reason why I "like" Nigella. It is rather unlikely that they'll be both relevant to my life, apart from an entertaining half an hr on the telly.

To transform that house she would have employed an army of builders plumbers plasterers electricians etc etc and her fiddling with felt and candles had nothing to do with it. Nice to waste an hour on watching if you have the time but innaccurate in terms of buying an old house and transforming to a holiday let

lol lol lol: "To transform that house she would have employed an army of builders plumbers plasterers electricians etc etc and her fiddling with felt and candles had nothing to do with it."

I haven't seen this problem, but this has made me

problem? program!

Yes she transformed it from 'dilapidated' with rag rugs felt rosettes and a bit of glass blowing.

!
Don't underestimate the power of some well arranged candles...

franca v amused that you like Nigella

Italian DP has been sooooos scathing of her new Italian series

but watches the whole 30 mins anway!!!!!

meattza, LOL

despite her being a Tory

Very gracious of you to deign to like someone form the dark side.

noddy would that army of builders, plumbers, electricians, joiners etc...have perhaps all been local tradesman, d'ya think?

I like her. But then I love all that vintagey stuff and would love to give up work and move to a pretty village and spend my days making cakes and going to jumble sales and growing herbs and decking my picturesque kids out in flowery wellies so we could go for a walk on the village green.

Meanwhile, back in the real world...........

And with her being Tory gentry, I'd bet half of those tradesmen are still waiting for a cheque.

I don't know because she never mentioned them.The kitchen transformed from water logged hovel to cath kidstons finest with just hearts strung up with bleached twine.

Do we know that Kirstie makes a habit of ripping off trades people?

I don't think anyone has said that?

Well, to be honest Noddy I really wouldn't want to sit and watch an hour long program on how Kirstie's plumber clevely connected the g-clamp to an outdoor router pump, via a sprocket selective gig-box.

Or, whatever.

I think the implication from imaginative was that because she is Tory gentry, she won't have paid half the trades people involved, yes?

Oh didn't see it. The programme was about transforming a dilapidated house to a holiday home so the reality should have been at least mentioned. I wonder if she used locals too. I might ask her

Oh, I only saw one of them, didn't realise the intention was always for it to be a holiday home?

Hopefully she did use locals. I expect she did, I know someone who has worked with her and she really is very warm and friendly, and just plain nice.

It's nice cosy escapist telly. Kind of Blue Peter for grown ups.... 'you too can make a fabulous lampshade from a loo roll and some sticky back tape'.

It's like the Great British Bake Off. Obviously there are lots of people out there who dream of a kinder, gentler, more homebaked victoria sponge scented world........

And I know someone who has worked with her(and does atm) and says she is a pita! I will ask them re the house quite interesting.

Tbh lots of people from the city who buy a house in remote parts do import their builders and tradespeople in as they don't trust the local workforce.

It is how I met XP - he was managing the conversion of a house in Devon, was imported (and his whole workforce) to do the job and he lived there for six months (and met me).

And people from outside buying holiday homes in the desirable parts of the west country is a problem - the local people can't afford to buy a house as the prices have shot up and the local wage cannot support it.

Not that it has affected me personally because I left that hovel without a backward glance, but still.

Even so, I don't think Kirstie Allsopp is responsible for that general trend!

Actually, that's another thing. She spells her bloody name WRONG.

Yes getorf true. I doubt she used locals. Although the local b abd bs prob did ok out of it

Tell us more Noddy??

Poor old XP was rather gutted when he first moved to Ilfracombe - he assumed that it would be a vibrant place like Brighton.

I'm afraid not, sunny Jim. Especially not in November.

Since when have crafts been sexist and un-feminist?

I'd better go tell all the knitting/sewing/spinning/dyeing/felting feminists I know on twitter and ravelry. They'll be devastated. Do you reckon I should go tell the men I know who do these things, too, or would that introduce too much cognitive dissonance?

Blimey, importing trades people would cost a fortune

Holiday rentals forcing prices higher than locals can afford, is a tricky one. We looked at buying a holiday rental in The Lakes about 5 years ago. £205K for a pretty, period, 3 bed, mid-terrace. Not cheap.

I couldn't possibly but her m and s 'work' is apparently fairly hands off

I don't think knitting etc is sexist but she does assume we would all be doing it.She enjoys it and she assumes it is some sort of ideal. It is easy for her as she is wealthy. Laqueen those properties do seem cheap to outsiders I have looked too but to locals where the average wage is about 20k it is impossible.

Does she actually rent her "holiday house" out or is it just her family "holiday house" which gets used for one weekend a year?

I also know someone who has worked with her. She described her as a "right caaaaah"

Most of those celebrity products are. I don't think Jaimie or Nigella have much to do with the table ware that bears their name. (Apart from pushing the prices up ridiculously).

Yes local wages are shocking. You simply cannot get a mortgage if your local salary is £14 and the average house price is at least £160K. Cheap to people outside but an impossible dream if you live there.

Yes it does cost a fortune - when DP worked in Devon he was paid his salary plus the employer paid for his accommodation and per diem expenses.

"It's nice cosy escapist telly".

Indeed. And for me even more so, as I also try to avoid watching ANY Italian tv since having moved back here, from the UK and its much better tv programs.

Porca, yes, I adore Nigella, I adore her nasal posh accent, her affectation, and whatever it is that she cooks (apart from meatza).

Yes, I have a thing for posh English tv entertainers, and I am a leftie

She said she paid 300k for it as she wanted to show that she was considering a price that would be in the reach of local families and so she wasn't out bidding them. Yeah ok

I love nigella

I love Kirsty.

She is my girl crush.

(along with Angela Merkel)

Beeny is such a know-all. She grinds on my nerves and makes me want to stab myself.

Love Kirsty

<Hasn''t read any other posts and realises thread is three pages long and probably moved on to a bunfight about feminism/fruit shoots/Christopher Biggins by now>

Gary Barlow is a Tory?!?!

Oh I am not fond of Sarah Beeney, and her perma pregnancy.

When asked if she was involved in the local community she answered 'Yes Bens HUNTS with the mid devon hunt'

I'm not wealthy, but I knit. Even buying luxury yarn, it's a cheap hobby if you price it per hour. Made to measure bfl or merino sweater for less than the price of a night out, but lasts a lot longer.

God, she's down with the people isn't she.

I dislike her because of her political views and because she came across as a twunt on Question Time. I haven't seen her shows but wouldn't willingly search them out, even though I like craft.

Knitting is a fab skill to have.

That was in response to Noddy, not you ouryve

YABU. I used to love on Location... before she had kids, but now she's a mother she's like bloody Myleene Klass obviously the first people in the world to have had children and brought them up.

I wish I could knit

She was quick enough to complain about her neighbours basement extension saying people staying put made her local market stagnant yet she saw no irony in buying a 2nd property in an area specifically ear marked for affordable local housing.This thread has proved though she is definitely marmite!

I'm torn between....

Like:
Her common sense & breezy persona.
Her dress sense (clearly that divides opinion, but I love the boots, scarf & hourglass-flattering dress combo. I'd dress like her if I had the confidence --and the money--). And I like the fact she's an attractive non-stick-insect woman on TV (as far as i can tell) who wears what she likes and not what she's been told to wear (same goes for Sarah Beeney).
- Her upfront & feisty response to people who give her flak on Twitter for having a skin condition is admirable (she developed blotchy patches on her face during pregnancy & gets a lot of nasty comments about it).
- the chemistry between her & Phil really is genuine and you so rarely get that on TV.

Dislike:
- whatever her feminist credentials in the workplace, the comments I read in an interview that she does think women should defer to men in the home made me a bit .
- the craft stuff a bit too twee for me.
- she's a Tory.

On balance - I like her.

She's alright on Location, very silly on the crafty nonsense show (yes, let's all go glass blowing!? ).

I pay no heed to her silly political views - about as relevant as Jordan's.

I prefer Phil, and the Beeny.

Big fan of twee.

I was flicking through her latest book today - nice pictures, nice paper, but I don't think they are many projects that I would actually do.

Might be more tempted when the television show starts!

Would you say she has an hourglass figure? (Thinking back to the comment about trousers not suiting her body shape.)

plaingirly well, pear shape, then, but she accentuates the waist by often wearing belted dresses or coats. I tried to mimic this look for a while at work but failed miserably.

I love Nigella - and look how grand she is.

300 grand for a cottage on Exmoor is beyond most local people's wildest aspirations.

I have no idea how people knit - my gran used to knit really complex jumpers with patterns and shapes on out of her head. God knows how. I haven't seen a wool shop for ages (I remember really enjoying going to wool shops when I was a kid and looking at the different balls of wool and poking them).

Do you think she's responsible for this strange idea doing the rounds in the lifestyle sections of the papers that it's cheaper to buy a good second hand sofa and reupholster it than buy a new one?

I mean it is. If you usually spend >£2k on a new one.

For the price she had some poor dweebs reupholster some antique chairs I could have bought two of the Ikea sofas I'm sitting on.

I like her. I was devastated to read on a different thread that she was unpleasant. It's nice to hear some others say she's nice. Maybe she's just 'normal' and has good days and bad days.

I really don't think she should be implicated in people over-stretching themselves financially. That was always going to happen.
I enjoyed her crafty programmes too, nice to see different techniques being done, even if it is really being one by a minion.

Really don't see why it's acceptable to dislike someone based on their politics. Especially when it comes across as reverse snobbery.

I can't stand her. She's a Tory idiot of the highest order.

She thinks that everyone should stay at home with their parents until they can afford to move out and buy their own place. Er, Kirsty, with the economy being what it is at the moment, I would STILL be living at home instead of renting my nice flat in London.

And comely, why isn't it ok to dislike someone for their political beliefs? To me much of what Tories believe are morally reprehensible.

Actually, I have some very close friends who are Tories and I like them in spite of their political beliefs.

I would have thought disliking someone for their political beliefs is one of the most understandable reasons to dislike a person.

I love her and Nigella. I may not agree with either's political beliefs but I still like them. Nothing better than when channel 4 shows episode after episode at the weekends, especially when it's cold outside.

If you're going to dislike someone for their political beliefs, be damn sure you understand what they actually believe. A lot of people, asked why they don't like Tories, will basically say something only marginally more sophisticated than "Because they believe in putting babies on spikes". And it just makes them look stupid TBH.

Never voted Tory in my life. Just sayin.

Yes, but I don't think anyone here has said that? I'd imagine people who don't like her for being a Tory have a fair idea of what that constitutes.

Let's hope so. That would make all of the people here considerably more sophisticated than all of the people who usually seem to be commenting on political threads.

If you say so.

I don't mind her, but she's little more than a salesperson on LLL. I dislike the way she tries to sell the property to the couple no matter what it's like - it could be a rubbish house and she's claiming it's perfect. I lost respect for her when she started telling a couple the 'obvious solution' for a house would be to extend it at the back when it was clear to me (having had a similar house) that an extension wouldn't work at all. I realised it was all total b**l**t! And the builders the couple hired proved me right!

showtunesgirl You like your friends in spite of their political beliefs because there's more to a person than their political beliefs.
It's just lazy to say I dislike her (the person) because she thinks x,y or z. Conversely, I have no problem if you dislike her because she keeps banging on about x, y and z.

I have never really watched the property programmes but love the craft shows. Sky plus them and then watch them repeatedly.

comely the biggest problem I have with Kirstie Allsopp though is the fact that she does not seem to understand why someone would have different political leanings to herself. That's the big difference here. My friends are Tories but they can see another person's point of view. When KA has been on things like QT, she has shown time and time again that she doesn't understand anyone who is not in the same boat as her.

My main beef with Kirsty Allsopp is that she's got a very big mouth and a pea sized brain.

I really struggle to understand how someone so very expensively educated an be so very, very thick. She has no GCSEs and yet is so deluded she thinks she's appropriate casting for Question Time, or public policy roles such as housing tsar.

Her homefinding business had to go into liquidation, her home design "business" licence has been a spectacular markdown, and I can't recall a single episode of LLL where her negotation skills have added anything to the process. (Her clients have paid ceiling price on every purchase made on the show, according to a survey on House Price Crash).

She was a vile on Celebrity Apprentice, having hissy fits like a spoilt child when she didn't get her way.

She was boasting about buying British the other day on Twitter. Turns out she was boasting about her collection of Hunter wellies. Which are American-Chinese and have been for years.

She's a pox and the sooner she's off baking cakes for Ben instead of pontificating about things she patently knows zero about, the better.

squoosh, is there something wrong with being married to a banker?

I think Kirsty is great and the cottage looked really good after she had finished - much better than Sarah Beeny's renovation which just looks tacky because she tried to do it on too tight a budget.

That's fine showtunesgirl you dislike her because she's narrow-minded, not because she's a Tory.

No, I dislike because she's a narrow-minded Tory.

her