BBC home renovation show to be awarded and celebrated at a Tribute event in its 20th year

London, 5 November: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) will honour DIY SOS with a BAFTA Special Award in recognition of its outstanding creative contribution to television. Through highlighting important social issues the show has had a significant positive impact on individuals and audiences across the UK throughout its 20 year history.

The Special Awards will be presented at a Tribute event taking place at the Bristol Old Vic theatre on Monday 16th December, honouring the show’s roots in Bristol. It will be an evening of insight into the show’s history and a celebration of its achievements and commitment to improving people’s lives. The event will celebrate DIY SOS’ popular appeal among the British television-viewing public and its support of nurturing and developing talent within popular factual and entertainment television industry.

Nick Knowles, presenter of DIY SOS, said: “The team are overwhelmed to be recognised by BAFTA for all the hard work we’ve done over the past 20 years. I’d like to thank all the amazing people we’ve met along the way for inspiring us to do these projects and change people’s lives for the better – and we’re not done yet! I look forward to celebrating with all the team in Bristol in December.”

The DIY SOS on-screen team, presenter Nick Knowles, purple shirts’ tradesmen Mark Millar, Chris Frediani, Julian Perryman, Billy Byrne and interior designer Gabrielle Blackman, will share insights from the history of DIY SOS alongside contributions from those involved with the show over the past 20 years, plus archive clips and special video interviews.

Nicki Chapman will be hosting the on stage interview with the team. Nicki is a presenter and broadcaster, who has hosted numerous factual and entertainment programmes including BBC’s Escape to the CountryWanted Down Under and coverage of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Nicki is also a regular presenter for BBC Radio 2 and has presented The Great Garden Challenge on Channel 5 this year.

Since the first episode aired on 7 October 1999, BAFTA-nominated BBC Studios production DIY SOS has become a popular stalwart of BBC One, with average audience figures of 7.8 million for the recent special episodes. Over the years, more than 200 episodes have aired and more than 20,000 volunteers have given their time, completing over £16 million worth of builds. The series has been sold to 151 territories around the world, including Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Romania, Taiwan and Italy and more recently the format has been sold to RTÉ One in Ireland. 

In recent years, the series has embarked on ambitious projects in special episodes, which aim to highlight social issues. An episode titled ‘Homes for Veterans’ featured the renovation of an entire Manchester street and seventeen homes for veterans, with HRH the Duke of Sussex and HRH the Duke of Cambridge enlisted as volunteers. The special episode attracted an audience of 9.6 million viewers. DIY SOS’ most complicated project to date was depicted in the 2018 Grenfell episodes, which saw the rebuilding of a boxing club and a community centre in the area affected by the Grenfell fire. Other projects include working with Great Ormond Street Hospital and Children In Need.

Krishnendu Majumdar, Deputy Chair of BAFTA, said: “We are so pleased to be recognising DIY SOS and the team behind the show for their inspiring work up and down the country. For 20 years, this programme has changed the lives of the people it helps whilst providing engaging and uplifting entertainment to millions of TV viewers. The DIY SOS team are deserving recipients of the BAFTA Special Award, and I’m thrilled that they will be recognised in Bristol, where the show is based.”

Paolo Proto, Executive Producer, DIY SOS, said: “Both the on and off screen team are thrilled to be recognised by BAFTA. It comes at a fitting time as we draw to the end of our 20th year on screen. Over the last two decades we have been fortunate to work with brilliant and inspiring people up and down the country who selflessly give their time and money to help those in need and make DIY SOS possible. This award is for all of them as well.”

DIY SOS: The Big Build was nominated for a British Academy Television Award in the Television Feature category in 2012 and the National Television Award for Factual Entertainment in 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016. The show won the TV Choice Award for Best Lifestyle Show and the TV Times Editor’s Choice Award this year. In 2016, DIY SOS won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Popular Factual and Features. The show was also nominated for a Mind Mental Health Award in 2016 for the Homes for Veterans special episode.

A BAFTA Tribute: DIY SOS will take place at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre on Monday 16th December and tickets will be available from 12pm on Friday 8th November at www.bafta.org/whats-on

For further information:

Sophie Dudhill

Press Officer, BAFTA

T 020 7292 5863                               

E [email protected]