DIY SOS star ‘devastated’ over ‘incredibly difficult’ decision to shelve show
DIY SOS project manager Ian Hodgkinson shared his thoughts on the beloved BBC show coming to an end after 27 years.
DIY SOS has been “shelved” after 27 years(Image: BBC)
The BBC has confirmed that DIY SOS will not return in its current format.
Last month, fans of the long-running renovation programme were left heartbroken when presenter Nick Knowles announced that DIY SOS won’t return to screens next year due to costs at the BBC.
Since then, project manager on the show Ian Hodgkinson has spoken about the show being shelved for the foreseeable future, issuing a warning that the impact of DIY SOS goes far beyond renovating houses.
He said: “My heart also goes out to the real stars of each show, and that is the trades, the suppliers and volunteers who day after day make the build transformation happen.
“I’m devastated. People see an incredible transformation on television, but what we’re really building is a chance for a family to live differently. It might mean a child sleeping in their own bedroom, a parent no longer having to carry them upstairs, or somebody finally feeling safe in their own home.
Ian keeps in contact with the families after the build is complete, including Isla(Image: PR)
“We’re changing lives, and the thought of families missing out on that opportunity is incredibly difficult.”
Although the BBC have shared that a spin-off is in the works, revisiting previous transformations taking its place, Ian shared his hopes for future transformations on the show, stating “there are still families who need us.”
One of the families the programme has helped over the years includes nine-year-old Isla’s, who has a rare genetic condition affecting bone growth and causing premature ageing of major organs called Mandibuloacral Dysplasia.
The DIY SOS sees hundreds of volunteers help to transform a families home(Image: BBC)
Ian was heavily involved in transforming Isla’s family home, as his mum, Stacy, confessed the difference has been life-changing, as everything before the team helped was a struggle.
She commented: “It never felt like a home, just a house. DIY SOS gave us back our lives. It took a massive weight off my shoulders. Isla can live comfortably now. She has her own bedroom where she can dance and do her makeup. She can just be a nine-year-old.”
Stacey shared that it breaks her heart that other families who are struggling could miss out on the opportunity to get help. Speaking about Ian’s connection with the families once the show finishes filming, she added: “Ian became part of our family. He genuinely cares. He wants to make life easier for people, and that care doesn’t stop when the cameras leave.”
BBC’s DIY SOS has been on air since 1999(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/South Shore)
Ian praised the generosity that is seen on the show by the volunteers and tradespeople who give up their working days and income to help the builds. He added: “DIY SOS shows what our industry can achieve when everyone pulls together.
“It celebrates skill, graft and kindness, and gives people a reason to believe in their communities. I’m proud of every build, but it’s the families who stay with you. You remember what life was like when you arrived and what becomes possible when you leave.
Addressing the programme’s hiatus, a BBC spokesperson stated: “In light of the BBC’s savings challenges, we have taken the decision to rest DIY SOS in 2027 and commission a new spin-off show instead from producers South Shore.”
