To get a bit annoyed when Dick and Angel Strawbridge insist they're "normal"

[Frankola]

I love Escape To The Chateau. I love Dick and Angel. I really do.

However, it really annoys me when they frequently insist that they are "every day people" and that "anyone can do it".

They ARE NOT every day people! Dick is a respected engineering and environmental expert who has appeared on tele for years before ETC. He's done Scrap Heap Challenge, Coast and all sorts!

Angel is actually a qualified chartered accountant with a professional background in business studies. She was a successful businesswoman in London, creating The Vintage Patisserie hospitality business and also appeared on Dragons Den - where she secured funding for her latest investment.

They were introduced by their agent. Does that sound "normal" to you?

Do every day couples pitch their search for a new life to production companies? Channel 4 even funded their house searching France for them to find the Chateau as they approached them from the very beginning of their project to maximise the potential they saw in this.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for their success. But I find it a bit insulting almost to expect the doting British public to just buy that these people could be any Tom, Dick or Harry (pun intended).

Any one else feel like this?

I’m in awe of how calm they stay- huge renovation product money or not, with two young children- amazing. Absolute love watching them, it’s so refreshing to watch just a nice program!

I hate the word ‘hater’, so Kardashian.
Anyway I think, beyond a doubt those two work hard, have good business heads and are incredibly driven.
I don’t particularly like her style or their program but I admire their drive.

They talk about how they've built the chateau up from nothing, which is fantastic, but would be impossible without a heap of money behind you

They didnt initially have a heap of money behind them.

I admire them i really do. They both work their arses off.

@Lovemenorca exactly the point I was trying to make... but at least one person here seems to think I am telling lies I think!

I agree Only and personally think their work ethic is incredible.

Running the business, raising a family plus doing all the renovations (not just in the Chateau but the outbuildings, garden and wider estate) is a huge workload.

Yes, they have people to help them (you couldn't do it otherwise) but they are obviously very hands on, mucking in and leading the effort.

I think there's a lot to admire about them frankly.

They've used their respective skills and experience plus a lot of hard work to build a successful business. What's not to admire about that?

I've never met them but know someone socially who went on one of their food lovers events and they said it was fantastic (food, accommodation, ambience) and that Dick and Angela were just as lovely in real life as they are on the TV (really welcoming and nothing was too much trouble to make their stay special).

@costacoffeeplease I have found my tribe 😬 Can't stand them or even Arthur, who is just a mini Dick. I cannot stand the way Angela in particular pretends to be all ditzy and "we don't have a penny to our name tee hee hee" then instructs Dick to build a lift/orangerie/new kitchen. Obviously channel 4 are paying. I imagine Dick is a bit of a narc off camera, shoving all sorts of fatty foods into his gob whilst spreadeagled on the chaise-lounge that Angel has re -covered with hideously expensive fabric that she pretended to find in an attic. I hope they paid Dick 's son for his cooking, I cannot believe they are charging people £75 to come and work for four hours, more front than Blackpool 😂

housinghelp wow someones a bit jealous ey!

Not many people would say no to channel 4 paying for their house reno.

I think theyre incredibly clever to be honest.

If you hate them so much why do you know so much about them?

I hasten to add I am very aware IABU to feel this way towards them btw.

Bolly I'm not jealous at all. I'd hate to live there, it's in the middle of nowhere, just be freezing and they have a potential death trap on their doorstep. I do have watch them every now and again, I hate the way they are so disingenuous about their financial status (as above), the way they like to give the impression that builder Steve is the only help they have, and for no good reason seeing Angela in a full face of makeup, with beret and kaftan saying she hasn't slept for 48 because she has been doing xyz. They make good tv, I'll give them that though.

housing do you know them personally then? Because it sounds to me like you've fabricated a lot of that.

That’s what bugs me, the apparent dishonesty, in the one programme I watched, they were down to their last penny, then suddenly he was installing a whole new heating system. And she found all this wallpaper and fabric in an attic? It wouldn’t have been in that condition if it had been there more than a few weeks in a damp attic

Lovemenorca

Not “normal” to me is low income and / or manual labour !!

well excuse the fuck out of me for living in the south east and working with my hands

they were down to their last penny, then suddenly he was installing a whole new heating system

No they used their last money to put in the heating system. Then he went away and did some presumably very well paid engineering work to put some more money in the bank. Do pay more attention.

Bolly fabricating what? I'm commenting on what I saw on several episodes. It's hardly inside info While I'm here I also hated the way Angela was laughing about still not being able to speak French, which I can't believe.

As a pp will see, I watched one programme and have successfully managed to avoid watching any more

And.... no jealousy here. we’ve moved abroad with a ‘normal’ amount of money from the sale of our uk property, and made a life for ourselves with no plan, and not using our previous careers. We haven’t restored a chateau but a smaller house, and we’re still here 17 years later

housing well you seem to know its all a lie? How do you know that or are you just making it up?

I don’t wish to pay any more attention

You seem very over-invested @Bollykecks

Im not overinvested but i do like them.

I dont understand why youd comment about how false it all is when you clearly didnt even watch it properly!

I cannot stand Dick with the big ugly moustache, I watched him with his first wife "Its Not Easy Going Green" and thought "You are hard work Dick" and then he did the Hungry Sailors with his son and now he is back again !!

Good luck to Angela.

Well that was my impression at the time, that it wasn’t an honest account, and reading this thread has reinforced that

We are all allowed to have our own opinions still? Or has that changed in the years I’ve been away?

You can have an opinion but when its based on you not paying any attention it just makes you look a bit silly.

Brigit his ex wife made I good choice and left ...

Here she is

I love Dick and Angel. They are total grafters and Angel’s style and eye for unusual elegance is brilliant. I have enjoyed every programme I have seen. Won’t hear a word against them 😀😀