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Grand Designs' Kevin McCloud confirms death of star during filming of 'difficult' project

Home> Entertainment> TV

Updated 11:43 9 Apr 2024 GMT+1Published 18:37 27 Nov 2023 GMT

Grand Designs' Kevin McCloud confirms death of star during filming of 'difficult' project

A participant on the much-loved TV show sadly passed away during filming, the presenter explained.

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

Grand Designs follows the journeys of some of the UK's most ambitious self-building projects, right from the blueprints up until the moment the participants are brewing up in their new home.

Although the architecture is an attractive aspect for many viewers, Brits also enjoy getting to know the people who have signed up for the show.

Host Kevin McCloud obviously becomes very well acquainted with the amateur builders too, making the death of one Grand Designs participant even more devastating.

He revealed that a man who was starring on the show had passed away during the making of the home renovation programme.

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The 64-year-old, who has presented the Channel 4 series since its debut back in 1999, told of his sadness at the tragedy that struck during the filming process.

"We are doing a very difficult project right now," McCloud told the New Zealand publication Stuff.

The Grand Designs host revealed a participant had passed away during filming.
Channel 4

"We had no idea and neither did our contributors, but the husband fell gravely ill and has passed away during the filming process, and it makes the narrative very hard to graft.

"Because you think, where do we go [from here]?"

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He didn't go into further detail regarding the heartbreak that has rocked Grand Designs, but he went on to pay tribute to another participant who passed away during filming also.

McCloud spoke fondly of Nat McBride, who was in the process of building his dream family home when he appeared in an episode which aired in 2010.

But his plans were left hanging in the balance as he revealed he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer on-screen.

Nat sadly passed away six months later.

However, his grief-stricken wife, Lucie Fairweather, bravely decided to continue the renovation project in honour of her late husband.

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Nat McBride tragically passed away mid-renovation, but his brave wife continued with the project.
Channel 4

McCloud applauded her resilience, while explaining how Lucie managed to pull off the mammoth property makeover.

He said: "She and her young husband in their late 20s were going to build this beautiful little chalet bungalow with amazing architecture – he was a sustainability campaigner; she’s a teacher.

"On day one, he announces on camera that he’s got stomach cancer.

"He passed away six months later, and we had one day’s filming in the can. And then 18 months later, Lucy rang up and said, ‘I’m going to do this by myself’, with her two children.

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"She did it with architect Gerry Tate, who held her hand through the process, guided her through it. Sometimes you don’t know where [a situation] will go, and it can turn such a positive corner."

Lucie and Gerry went on to win an award for their impressive new build which they completed in the wake of losing Nat.

Featured Image Credit: rune hellestad/Corbis/Getty Images/Channel 4

Topics: Channel 4, Health, TV and Film, Grand Designs

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

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@livburke_

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