DIY SOS is a soothing reminder that good things can happen in the darkest of tim
Ever since DIY SOS made the transition from week-night filler to prime-time property as DIY SOS: The Big Build, the home makeover show has delivered renovations with a hefty dose of heart. Alongside more ambitious builds, each household selected usually has an emotional story, proving why they deserve to have their home transformed.
The first episode of the show’s 32nd series was no different. After a brief hiatus last year due to his violation of the BBC’s commercial guidelines (he was advertising Shreddies), veteran presenter Nick Knowles was back, this time joined by designer Gabrielle Blackman and a team of builders, decorators and numerous volunteers from the local community. They’d all come together to help Lindsey McAuley, a midwife from Kettering.
Lindsey’s story was devastating. In 2021, her ex-military husband Shaun died only a few months after being diagnosed with a rare cancer.
She had two children with Shaun, plus two from her previous marriage, and their modest family home called for an extension. Shaun had been intent on doing the interior work himself but died before he could complete it. One of the last things he said to Lindsey was: “Sorry I’m leaving you with such a mess.”
What followed was standard DIY SOS fare, as Knowles and co turned the house into a home: shots of plastering, an unexpected delay due to missing materials and Knowles’s dad-like commentary.
The final makeover reveal wasn’t Grand Designs-level impressive, but at this stage, who cares? After hearing about how her life had been in stasis for months, seeing Lindsey and her family being given a home that would make their lives easier was enough to crack even the most stoic viewer’s resolve.
DIY SOS: The Big Build continues on Tuesday 17 May at 8pm on BBC One