... to think that Phil Spencer: Secret Agent is a poor man's House Doctor?

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

I miss Ann Maurice sooo much. She was just so rude!

I loved it when she'd go into people's homes and rip apart their poo stained towels, floral freezes and dusty ornamental wall mounted plates.

I also loved the outrage on the home owner's faces when they were met with the news that their home wasn't the palace they once thought and fought with Ann every step of the way to keep their doilies/stuffed beaver/mad collection of china clowns.

I like Phil. But it's just not as good.

I'm disappointed.

Anyone know anywhere online where I can relive the wonders of the beautiful Ms Maurice and her totally honest comments? I miss her.

Was Ann Maurice the woman who used to make people ditch their most prized possessions?

'But it's the last letter my father ever wrote to me before he was kidnapped and eaten by cannibals'

'I said burn it'.

Yes, she was brilliant except that she painted every single house peach
I like Phil, but prefer him with Kirsty too, he's always a bit more cheeky with her.

I loved that AM would tell people that their house smelled like dog or smoke, which nobody else would have the balls to do, and she'd tell them to hide away all their twee trinkets and multitudes of family pics. Why had nobody thought of this before?!

When I the kids grow up I want to do her job. Not sure I could be as blunt as her, but I'm pretty sure I could do a great job making places look lovely.

And what's more I stumbled across the excellent medical drama series 'House' while searching for her on the Sky planner, so she gave me so much more than bitchy decorating comments.

'But it's the last letter my father ever wrote to me before he was kidnapped and eaten by cannibals'

Maybe. She hated books. Especially paperbacks. Only thing don't like about her.

She wasn't as bad as the nutnuts on OC Cleaners though. They despise all belongs. One woman refused to have bedside tables in case stuff gathered on them.

Oh AM rules. We had a flat, not too small or shabby but on the wrong side of town.

I AM'd it to the hilt. It was emptied of us, entirely. 1% of the sale price was spent stuff such as pale contract carpeting, walls painted in not quite magnolia, 'tasteful' crap to decorate it, beds dressed, small pot of flowers added, coffee brewed.

Despite the flat below (slightly bigger, nicer kitchen and bathroom) not selling in 2 months ours sold for £500 below asking price, sold to the 2nd viewer, 5 days after going on the market. Result!

Not sure PS has the same impact.

She's on Channel 5 every weekday morning between 4.45 and 6am!

You can see House Doctor on you tube too. I've watched it on my break when I was on nights a few times. She was mean

I thought AM had the most appalling taste. Yes, she was right about de-cluttering. Yes, she was right about 'neutralising' the decor etc. But she had crap taste - even back in those days. I sometimes watch the repeats of her programmes these days and I still

I remember one where she made someone temporarily re home her dogs. .

Fun times!

Remember those programmes were made in the late nineties, up to about 2003, so many of the decor suggestions would be out of date now.
I expect if you were to watch Amanda Lamb "Selling Houses" in 10+ years time her decor ideas would look outdated.

I like Phil and his "Brutal Truth"

I worked in the property business in the late 90s - and, believe you me, in the area where I worked AM's 'taste' was deemed appalling even then

I watched a Secret Agent today and he told them the house stank of smoke - he also said you could still smell it after they had painted and changed the carpets . I like Phil ,he's way more realistic about things than Kirsty who apparently knows builders that put up huge extensions complete with a glass roof and a fitted kitchen for less than 20k !

I spent loads of my teens watching this programme! Was it AM that was (or became) obsessed with jute carpets?

Sisal carpets if I remember correctly! which of course I do

Rough as anything but very neutral, her byword! Every hallway had to have a 'mirrrr' to make it look bigger too!

I dislike her purely for her opinion that no- one wants to look at shelves of books, apparently they are 'clutter'.

I'd rather have that kind of clutter than twee gingham curtains and peach walls.

Remember when Anne got a shirt made to match the curtains in one house?

I loved her. Wonder what she's doing now.

I loved AM.

I watch Phil and Amanda (and Sarah) but they're not the same and it really is a blatant rip-off.

I miss AM working with Alistair Appleton too. He was lovely.

She has a House Doctor franchise now:

www.housedoctor.co.uk/