Outstanding Contribution to Scotland’s Screen Industry: Location, Location, Location

Words by Toby Weidmann

Buying a home is widely regarded as one of the most stressful periods in a person’s life. But what if there were a couple of savvy real estate agents on hand to help you find the perfect forever home in the ideal location? Because, as the old house-hunting adage goes, ‘location is everything’.

This was the premise that birthed Location, Location, Location, created by Glasgow and London-based production company IWC Media for Channel 4 and fronted by hosts and real estate experts Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer. It was a tantalising premise for a new property show that quickly captivated the nation, with UK audiences tuning in week-in, week-out in their millions since the series launch in May 2000.

Twenty-five years on and Location, Location, Location’s appeal shows no sign of waning, with the show topping 400 episodes across 43 seasons in 2025. The series celebrated this landmark in May, with Channel 4 broadcasting a dedicated night of Location, Location, Location programming. This included two new specials, providing its hosts a chance to reflect on helping nearly 750 people find their ideal home from more than 1,800 viewings.

Location, Location, Location has made an equally impressive indent on the Scottish TV industry. Over its 25-year history, the production has provided countless opportunities for Scottish below-the-line creatives to find their first footing in the industry through IWC Media’s incredible craft talent development programme. This includes a commitment to improving diversity and inclusion, offering production placements on IWC Media productions through such initiatives as TRC’s training scheme, rad Scotland, a programme aimed at giving paid placements to underrepresented creatives in the local TV industry.

As much as this BAFTA Scotland Special Award is about celebrating the achievements of Location, Location, Location over the past 25 years – which includes a previous BAFTA Scotland win and six nominations – it’s also about the outstanding contribution the show has made to the Scottish TV industry.

Gerard Costello, head of popular factual at IWC Media, says: “All of us at IWC are hugely proud of Location, Location, Location and it has been our pleasure to celebrate it in this way. Kirstie and Phil’s fondness for their house hunters, for each other and for the thrill of the search resonates in these anniversary programmes. With the show now helping house hunters who tell us they grew up with the programme, it is wonderful to see Kirstie and Phil just as determined to help them as they’ve always been. Long may it continue.”