Featured Image Credit: Channel 4
Topics: Channel 4, TV and Film, Grand Designs
Olivia Burke
An update has been given on the 'saddest house ever' years on from its memorable debut on Grand Designs.
If you're a fan of the property development show, you don't need reminding about the 'saddest house ever' which was aired back in 2019.
A lot of us still get upset at the thought of Edward Short's clifftop mansion, dubbed 'Chesil Cliff House', which took him 12 years to build, landed him in millions of pounds worth of debt and cost him his marriage. Take a look at it here:
The dad describes the more than a decade of construction in North Devon as a 'marathon slog', which drastically exceeded his original intention to have it done within 18 months.
Edward had to tackle repeated setbacks amid issues with the lighthouse-inspired development, seeing him tell Channel 4 viewers that he felt 'cursed' - only for things to go even more downhill.
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Things seemingly got worse as four years after the episode was shown, as he told the Daily Star that he had battled through ‘the banking crisis, the Brexit years, which were very hard, the coronavirus pandemic and then the pingdemic’.
He told the publication in 2022: "It's a very long list and sometimes you do feel cursed by it all."
When the build was finally complete - a feat that Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud described as an 'extraordinary achievement' - Edward had a new set of problems to deal with.
Despite all the graft paying off and his dream eventually coming to life, the extraordinary home failed to sell and the dad decided to split it into two listings.
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Kevin revealed he still keeps in touch with him 'now and again', as 'it was such a special project' despite all the storms that Edward had to weather.
He said the property owner still holds out hope there will be a 'bite on the line' and that the perfect buyer would swoop in.
So, what's happened to the mansion since?
The good news is, Chesil Cliff House has reportedly been listed for sale this week... though it's through debt collectors.
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The pad first hit the market a few years ago, but it was promptly taken down from the estate agent’s website amid speculation they had found a 'serious buyer', who later pulled out of the deal at the last minute.
Now, Law of Property Act receivers are said to be having a go at flogging the Grand Designs build in the hopes of recouping some money that's owed and settling some debts.
According to The Sun, the listing reads: "Savills are appointed on the instructions of Joint Receivers: H.Varsani & M.Yianni (Belleveue Mortlakes Chartered Surveyors & LPA Receivers)."
The property has a £5.25 million price tag on Rightmove and tried to entice house hunters by dubbing it one of the 'most spectacularly situated coastal homes' in the UK and a 'once in a lifetime opportunity'.
Fingers crossed a sale actually goes through this time...