Longtime DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles was visibly moved as he discussed the monumental effort behind the show's upcoming festive special during an appearance on This Morning.
Overwhelming Community Response Amid Hardship
The 63-year-old BBC star, who has fronted the popular renovation programme for over 22 years, revealed to hosts Sian Welby and Craig Doyle that the team had just completed filming two series back-to-back, including the Christmas episode. Knowles admitted they initially feared a shortage of volunteers due to the current cost-of-living crisis, with many people struggling to pay bills and run businesses.
"We had the biggest response we've ever had in the 22 years that we've been doing it," an emotional Knowles stated. He confirmed that two to three times the required number of people turned up to offer their help, defying all expectations.
A Festive Build Against the Odds
The festive special was filmed in Beverley, where the DIY SOS team partnered with a charity providing food for children in need. The charity was operating from a basic, one-sided gazebo, prompting the show to undertake an ambitious project: constructing an entire youth centre in a field, with permission from the local council.
"That was a huge undertaking to build from scratch, building in the field," Knowles explained. He confessed there were moments during the build where he doubted their success, saying, "There were points doing it where I thought, 'we're not going to make this.'" The project relied entirely on donated materials and hundreds of volunteer tradespeople and locals.
"It Was Too Much": Knowles's Emotional Admission
After a clip from the episode was shown, Craig Doyle asked how close the projects come to failing. Knowles revealed the team often works past midnight, but this build was particularly challenging. "This one, particularly, about two-thirds of the way through, it was too much," he said, fighting back tears.
The presenter admitted the project "deeply touched him" and that he "kind of lost it at the end." When asked why this build affected him so profoundly, Knowles became too emotional to continue, telling the hosts, "you're going to have to watch it."
The DIY SOS Christmas special will air on Tuesday, December 30 at 8pm on BBC One. This Morning is available to stream on ITVX.
