Changing Rooms Cast: From Zoo Wars to Plane Horror - Where Are They Now?
For millions of British viewers, Changing Rooms represents a nostalgic slice of 1990s television history. The BBC's groundbreaking DIY show captivated audiences with its irresistible premise: neighbours swapping homes alongside professional designers to create dramatic makeovers, often with hilariously mixed results. While many cast members have enjoyed glittering careers since the show's original run, their personal journeys have been marked by extraordinary turmoil, bitter break-ups, and near-death experiences that few could have predicted.
The Show's Legacy and Eventual Demise
Originally hosted by Carol Smillie, Changing Rooms featured a rotating roster of presenters including Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Davina McCall, and Anna Richardson. The programme became a prime-time staple throughout the late 90s and early 2000s, defining an era of home improvement television. Despite its popularity, the show faced cancellation in 2023 following an unsuccessful Channel 4 reboot, leaving dedicated fans feeling genuinely devastated by its departure from our screens.
Carol Smillie: From TV Star to Humanist Celebrant
The Scottish presenter enjoyed considerable success following Changing Rooms, hosting her own morning chat show Smillie's People, presenting the National Lottery, and even competing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2006. Beyond television, she appeared on fashion programme Get It On and The Travel Show, while also managing her business Pretty Clever Pants.
Now 64, Carol has transitioned into becoming a fully qualified humanist celebrant with the Humanist Society Scotland, conducting weddings, baby naming ceremonies, and funerals. She has spoken candidly about gender inequalities in television, revealing how media work "dried up" in her 50s while male counterparts continued into their seventies. On Kaye Adams' How To Be 60 podcast, she admitted to sometimes feeling "foot stampy and angry" about these disparities, but has ultimately embraced a balanced life with "far less interesting but well-paid" roles.
Linda Barker: Design Guru and Menopause Advocate
The interior designer left Changing Rooms after not being offered the main presenter role but maintained a strong television presence. She finished third in the second series of I'm A Celebrity and presented shows including 60 Minute Makeover and The Home Game. Professionally, she designed sofa ranges for DFS and curtains for Terry's.
Now 64, Linda has become a prominent voice in menopause awareness after her symptoms "hit her like a freight train". She created the YouTube channel Changing Wombs with her daughter Jessica, discussing topics including career impacts, health, and self-confidence. The series contributes to the UK's largest menopause study by hygiene company Essity and online community issviva.co.uk.
Anna Ryder-Richardson: Zoo Ownership and Personal Turmoil
In a dramatic career shift, Anna purchased Manor House Wildlife Park in Wales after appearing on I'm A Celebrity in 2007. The zoo houses endangered Sumatran tigers, zebras, rhinos, and camels, featuring in programmes like Chaos at the Zoo. However, her personal life has been marked by significant challenges.
Following her 2017 divorce from Colin MacDougall, Anna endured a three-year ownership battle over the zoo. She described waking with palpitations during this period, calling it "the worst time" of her life. Additionally, she faced heartbreak when her birth parents were located but declined contact. Adopted at six weeks old, she discovered her Malaysian birth father "refuses to acknowledge that he has a daughter".
Andy Kane: The 'Handy' Builder's Continued Success
Dubbed 'Handy Andy', the charismatic builder continued in renovation television after Changing Rooms, appearing on American series Trading Spaces and hosting programmes including Room Rivals and Increase Your House Price By Ten Grand. He has presented BBC Primary Geography programmes since 2008 and remains happily married with four children.
Oliver Heath: Eco-Designer with Traumatic Past
The designer established Oliver Heath Design in Brighton, promoting sustainable architecture while writing for The Guardian and The Sunday Times. However, behind his successful career lies a terrifying experience that shaped his life.
In 2000, Oliver survived a British Airways flight where a madman stormed the cockpit, sending the plane into a 10,000ft nosedive. The three-minute incident left him with severe trauma, developing an irrational fear of walking under scaffolding. "I thought I was going to die," he recalled, describing how passengers were flung from seats while luggage flew through the cabin.
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen: TV Mainstay Facing Mortality
The flamboyant presenter has remained a television fixture, judging Popstar to Operastar and appearing on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with his wife Jackie. He designed Blackpool Illuminations in 2007-2008 and participated in Celebrity Painting Challenge.
Recently, Laurence revealed he had transferred his Cotswolds estate to his sons-in-law, describing an "end of life crisis" following a near-drowning incident during Netflix's Celebrity Bear Hunt. The 60-year-old, worth an estimated £8 million, explained his decision reflects not wanting to be "terribly unhappy, terribly lonely" while "owning a lot of stuff".
Laura McCree: Footballer Designs and Abortion Heartbreak
The designer created homes for Premier League footballers including Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand after Changing Rooms. Now a mother of two with seven pets, she works as an interior designer for Landan Ltd.
Personally, Laura experienced devastating betrayal when pregnant with her son Lestat. Her then-millionaire boyfriend Simon Clarke asked her to have an abortion. "When I got pregnant, I couldn't wait to tell Simon," she shared. "He obviously didn't love me and instead of being honest, he said, 'Let's have an abortion and afterwards we'll try again'." She refused and raised their child alone.
Other Cast Members: Varied Paths
Graham Wynne restored a Georgian home in Kent before selling it for £1.25 million. He revealed Changing Rooms allowed only 14 hours per room, creating "stage sets" rather than practical designs.
Gordon Whistance produced Grenfell episodes of DIY SOS and shows including Lead Balloon, reportedly worth millions.
Michael Jewitt designed for Gourmet Ireland and Sunseeker yachts, while Rowena Johnson protested Olympic facility construction by lying under a lorry with her son in 2021.
From zoo wars and divorce battles to plane horror and abortion heartbreak, the Changing Rooms cast have navigated extraordinary personal and professional journeys since their 90s television heyday. Their stories reflect both the glittering opportunities and profound challenges that followed their time on one of Britain's most beloved DIY programmes.
