Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"Escape to the Country" (TV programme)

201 replies

janelikesjam · 30/10/2012 14:41

Annoying.

Need I say more?

OP posts:
wildfig · 30/10/2012 17:44

OR... (I'm all about the television pitching today) what about a House Dating programme, where a bored-to-tears couple with a farm in Matlock try to swap houses with Couple A, who have a penthouse warehouse conversion flat in Bristol but 'need more space for the baby', Couple B, who have a mews house in Fulham but 'want to bring up Fenella and Purcell in a crime-free organic environment' or Couple C, who are just very, very tired of Edinburgh.

Francagoestohollywood · 30/10/2012 17:47

Though, I've never wanted to actually escape to the country, it'd bring me to certain death

catsmother · 30/10/2012 17:50

I enjoy looking at the houses because then I can daydream about what I might be able to buy if I won the lottery (ha ha bloody ha).

But most of the couples spoil it. I can "understand" couples late 50s/early 60s approaching retirement, looking for a change, probably did well on the property market, right place right time and all that ..... but am afraid I go green at the 30s couples (or maybe even late 20s) who have mahoooosive sums to spend on a home and haven't even got any kids yet. I mean, how, just how .... they can't all be hedge fund managers, hot shot barristers or have bagged huge inheritences. So okay ..... that's life, but when they then complain about the wretched kitchen, or barely manage to disguise a sneer when said house is too modern/doesn't have 3 ensuites/the study is too small/lacks an inglenook fireplace or whatever I just want to slap them .....

Growlithe · 30/10/2012 18:13

Fite I saw that one. Arrgghhh Shock

BiteTheTopsOffIcedGems · 30/10/2012 18:14

MidnightinMoscow I remember the lady in that episode. She was a bitch.
I remember thinking she must be good in bed or do bumsex not just on Fridays as there didn't seem to be any other redeeming features.

fluffydressinggown · 30/10/2012 18:19

I love it. I do get a bit cross though when the presenters on the TV shows ignore some fundamental requests from the buyers'

Buyer: 'we have two children so we need a three bedroom house'
TV: 'it is a small two bedroom house but it has original beams!'

Buyer: 'we want a garden for the dog'
TV: 'we have found you a flat with a balcony, it is only a short bus ride to a park for the dog'

Or when they roll their eyes about how fussy they are being about location and they could have a 5 bedroomed mansion in this other area, that is two hours away from work/has no schools/is next to a nuclear power plant etc. I watched one that was in my local area and K+P were very sniffy about them not wanting the house they showed them which was in a really grim not very nice area because it was perfectly nice house! It was cheap for a reason!

Nanny0gg · 30/10/2012 18:32

Alistair Appleton is lovely. He was fab on House Doctor.
Speaking of which, has anyone seen the Unsellables? Fronted by Kirstie Allsop's extremely annoying sister, Sofie, who thinks that framing a couple of pieces of wallpaper counts as Art, to enhance the amazingly bland rooms she decorates.

Sparklingbroomstick · 30/10/2012 18:41

Has anyone mentioned 'Wanted down Under' yet? I had to stop watching it, it made me so cross. Sad

Growlithe · 30/10/2012 18:47

Sparkling wasn't the woman on that once a judge on an X Factor type thing? When did she stop being a pop expert and start being an aussie property expert?

Sparklingbroomstick · 30/10/2012 18:51

Yes Grow it was Nadia Sawalha originally who IIRC at least met the families out there. Then Nicky Chapman took over and was jetted to Australia but never even saw the family. Confused

maybenow · 30/10/2012 18:54

nobody in escape to the country ever actually buys a house Confused

at least phil and kirsty actually found people houses.

maybenow · 30/10/2012 18:55

oops sorry, i mean a 'property'

[confused as to why we're not allowed to call them houses on property tv shows]

Sparklingbroomstick · 30/10/2012 18:57

The best bit about Wanted Down Under is that the families had watched too much Neighbours and imagined all these huge open plan houses. It wasn't like that at all. And the value of their house in the UK was always way under what they thought. Grin

Growlithe · 30/10/2012 18:58

Love the way the families seems so surprised when their old grannies are on video saying they are upset that they may be moving to the other side of the world. Oh we hadn't thought about that, don't think we want to go now Hmm

ssd · 30/10/2012 19:01

I hate it when a couple with a toddler and a newborn need a 5 bed 3 public rooms place

for christs sake

Vickibee · 30/10/2012 19:08

Bring in a family with a normal budget and look for a 3 bed semi in Barnsley! Wheredo they getbtheir budgets from?

MamaMary · 30/10/2012 19:11

Oh, I love all these.

Wanted Down Under: The person who really wants to immigrate is always in denial: having been shown the tiny, poky house they can afford in Oz with an hour and a half commute into Perth or wherever, and the price of groceries dearer in Oz, oh and they'll have to work full-time rather than part-time like in the UK, oh and their family are devastated to lose them: faced with all these facts they STILL choose Australia. It never fails to amaze me.

My favourite two are no longer on: Property Ladder with Sarah Beeney and A Home by the Sea on Channel 4. In Property Ladder they never listened to Sarah's advice and usually went about 100,000 grand over budget - I always wondered why they went on the show at all.

A Home by the Sea - that's a fantasy of mine and I loved it: wish it was still on. Far more inticing than Escape to the country!

ChippingInLovesAutumn · 30/10/2012 19:14

I love most property shows, but I found it very hard to get on with that kitchen renovation one that whatshername Nadia Sawalha did - her & her co-host were very bloody annoying.

FellowshipOfFineFellows · 30/10/2012 19:16

I get really fucking sick of these smug lot who have like £750,000+ for a house and yet they have to get some slimy TV host to help them find a sodding house.

Yeah right. You're telling me that with shedloads of cash they don't have loads of Estate Agent twerps falling over themselves to help?

It just makes me think they are on there to show off to us skint TV watchers "Oh look at me, I have lots of money and am buying a BIG house while you are stuck in a shithole"

Sorry rant over.

Autumnchill · 30/10/2012 19:21

I can't understand why they all want beams! But love Escape to the Country (only on Sky+ so I can fast forward through the talking)

MamaMary · 30/10/2012 19:25

I agree that they're only on to show off how wealthy they are.

kilmuir · 30/10/2012 19:28

I hate it when they say they love to entertain, or even have savings of several 100 thousand

goinnowhere · 30/10/2012 19:48

The house is too expensive, but they go away and find another £75000 in two days. Helped by family they say.

suburbophobe · 30/10/2012 19:58

I'm always glad I don't have a huge house like that - imagine all that cleaning! Grin

sudaname · 30/10/2012 20:17

Did anyone ever see the one where the severe faced old dragon m-i-l was going round with the couple looking for a house as they were buying one with a granny annexe for her and she kept putting the kibosh on every single bloody house - even one or two that the couple loved. (l think the d-i-l was nearly in tears at one). The annexes/granny flats were lovely at all of them and custom built etc.
l ended up shouting at the telly - 'Well go into a home then you old bag' Blush.
I was actually watching it with my lovely undemanding m-i-l at her house who is just mad as a fruitcake and laughed her socks off at me saying that and agreed. She is late seventies and even she was going mad about her attitude.