Kirstie Allsopp playfully teased her co-host Phil Spencer, suggesting she was his 'second choice' for the presenting role on Location, Location, Location. The Channel 4 stars appeared on This Morning on Wednesday to celebrate 25 years of working together, just before the property show returns with a new series.
Audition Revelations
During the interview, Kirstie, 54, and Phil, 56, joined ITV hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley to reflect on their careers. Kirstie admitted she wasn't initially selected to co-host with Phil, as producers had considered an Italian actress with long legs during auditions. Ben inquired, 'You look at the two of you now, and you can't imagine one without the other, but I didn't realise Kirstie that Phil made you fight for your place alongside him? He had a screen test with other women?'
Kirstie recalled, 'There was an Italian girl with legs up to here,' pointing to her upper chest. 'Phil really, really wanted her, but the problem was her accent was so strong.' Phil shook his head, saying, 'That's not quite true,' but Kirstie continued, 'And then there was a sweet estate agent girl, but she seemed intimidated. He ended up with me by default. We did a non-transmittable pilot, thank goodness it will never air, and both thought it was fun but we had real jobs. Then they commissioned the show and asked us to present it.'
Behind-the-Scenes Involvement
The duo discussed how viewers and contributors are often surprised by their active involvement in property searches and negotiations. Kirstie and Phil joked that their photo appears on many fridges after helping families find homes nationwide. Kirstie said, 'It's a privilege to have a job where you can always talk to people about something that truly matters to them.' Phil added, 'I've done re-visits years later, and it's special to see our picture on the day we found their house.'
Kirstie recounted a recent call with an estate agent: 'I was negotiating a deal, and at the end I said, "Keep my number if there's a problem," and he replied, "I thought it was all fake."' Phil shared a similar story: 'After three days filming, we sat in a pub discussing tactics, and when I pulled out my phone to call an agent, the couple said, "Wait, you're actually doing that?"' Kirstie concluded, 'People think we end every day in a pub pretending to make calls!'
Relationship Outside Work
Last year, Kirstie and Phil admitted they don't socialise outside work, despite their close bond. Phil notably missed Kirstie's wedding to property tycoon Ben Anderson in January 2025, but it was later revealed the ceremony was secret, with guests unaware it was a wedding until the last minute. Speaking to The Telegraph, Kirstie said, 'We don't socialise because we work so much together.' Phil added, 'But we're very fond of each other. There's no one else who's been through this. I consider Kirstie among the most important people in my life.' Kirstie noted, 'In the most significant moments, we've been there for each other. Phil was one of the first I told I was pregnant.'
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
