Changing Rooms

For other uses, see Changing room (disambiguation).

Changing Rooms
Developed by	Peter Bazalgette Ann Booth-Clibborn Nick Vaughan-Barratt
Presented by	Carol Smillie (1996–2003) Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen (2003–04)
Starring	Linda Barker Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Laura McCree Anna Ryder Richardson "Handy" Andy Kane Graham Wynne Liz Wagstaff Gordon Whistance Oliver Heath Michael Jewitt Rowena Johnson
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	17
No. of episodes	165 (inc. specials)
Production
Running time	30 minutes (per episode)
Release
Original network	BBC Two (1996–97) BBC One (1998–2004)
Picture format	4:3, 16:9
Original release	4 September 1996 (1996-09-04) – 22 November 2004 (2004-11-22)
Chronology
Related shows	DIY SOS 60 Minute Makeover

Changing Rooms was a do-it-yourself home improvement show broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC between 1996 and 2004. The show was one of a number of home improvement and lifestyle shows popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The show was later franchised, generally under the same name, for the local TV markets in the United States, New Zealand and Australia.

Format

The premise of the show was for couples to swap houses with friends or neighbours with each pair decorating one room in each other's homes. This leads up to a finale with both couples seeing their rooms, and meeting up again - almost invariably on still friendly terms. With the show including some top designers, their ideas could be a little over the top, which led to a few tears and tantrums. Changing Rooms was originally hosted by Carol Smillie, and assisting with the remodelling was a Cockney carpenter, "Handy" Andy Kane.

History

The show began on BBC Two, at 9pm on 4 September 1996, before transferring to BBC One for the start of the third series in 1998. The final edition was broadcast on 22 November 2004 after a successful 8 year, 17 series run. The cancellation was announced on 27 August 2004.

The former designer on the show, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, took over presenting the show from Smillie in 2003 for series 14 and 15. "Handy" Andy went on to host his own DIY shows.

The designers on the show during its run included:

• Linda Barker
• Oliver Heath
• Michael Jewitt
• Rowena Johnson
• Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
• Laura McCree
• Anna Ryder Richardson
• Liz Wagstaff
• Gordon Whistance
• Graham Wynne

Final episode

In November 2004, a special episode was taped in Boscastle, Cornwall, for Christmas broadcast. Designers Anna Ryder Richardson, Graham Wynne and Gordon Whistance took on the task of restoring the decor of homes and businesses damaged in the floods of August that year. The episode was broadcast on 28 December 2004.

Disasters

In one episode, a Linda Barker room was being built to accommodate a large collection of teapots. Overnight, the shelves collapsed, demolishing the valuable collection.

The show gained popularity through the sometimes unusual designs of Llewelyn-Bowen and the reactions of some participants who disliked their newly designed rooms. Famously, one room of Llewelyn-Bowen's was decorated entirely in animal prints on the advice of the neighbours. The visibly upset homeowners described it as resembling "a tart's boudoir" and pointed out that the neighbours, also friends, had known of their dislike of animal prints but had suggested them to Llewelyn-Bowen as a joke.

In another famous episode, Anna Ryder Richardson designed a room for a couple where she placed framed erotic French undergarments around the room. On entering the room, the woman screamed aloud and shouted, "Why would I want this shit in my room?! I've got children!" and burst into tears. Richardson apparently blushed brightly.

In another episode, after a room had been designed, it had to be redesigned because the owner of the room missed her old fireplace.

Overseas editions

The show has been franchised and variations of it appear in several other countries, sometimes with a different name - such as Trading Spaces in United States. The original Changing Rooms is also broadcast overseas, for example, on BBC America and featured in various US shows, the Sex and the City episode "Lights, Camera, Relationship" being one example.

A New Zealand edition of the show was produced for several years, also called Changing Rooms. It was identically formatted to the British series, with host Kerry Smith, "Handy" Andy Dye, and regular designers including Donald Grant Sunderland, Neil McLachlan and Sally Ridge. A handful of international shows were produced, each featuring one couple in New Zealand and one in the United Kingdom.

Australia's Nine Network also produced a local version hosted by Suzie Wilks who was assisted by Peter Everett, James Lindsay, Catherine Morton and Tim Janenko-Panaeff. The show is now defunct.

Transmission guide

Original series

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	4 September 1996	9 October 1996	6
2	28 July 1997	22 September 1997	8
3	10 March 1998	14 April 1998	6
4	16 July 1998	16 September 1998	10
5	6 January 1999	3 March 1999	8
6	6 September 1999	20 December 1999	10
7	5 May 2000	9 June 2000	6
8	4 September 2000	13 November 2000	9
9	27 November 2000	3 May 2001	11
10	11 September 2001	22 October 2001	7
11	25 February 2002	10 August 2002	13
12	26 August 2002	7 November 2002	8
13	3 April 2003	14 July 2003	12
14	15 September 2003	15 December 2003	13
15	5 January 2004	23 February 2004	7
16	19 April 2004	14 June 2004	8
17	9 August 2004	22 November 2004	12

Specials

Entitle	Air Date
Series 1 Highlights	30 December 1996
Changing Rooms Stripped Bare	5 December 1998
Christmas Special: Arran	25 December 1998
Redecorated	2 April 1999
The World of Changing Rooms	30 August 1999
A Morning with Changing Rooms	13 December 1999
Tenerife	27 December 1999
When Changing Rooms Met Ground Force	13 February 2000
When Changing Rooms Met The Navy	2 September 2000
When Changing Rooms Met Ground Force 2	24 October 2000
Boscastle Christmas Special	28 December 2004

See also

• DIY SOS
• 60 Minute Makeover
• The Great Interior Design Challenge

External links

• Changing Rooms at BBC Online