Brutal fallout of Grand Designs’ most infamous episode
It was an 11-year-build that cost more than $12 million – and the owner’s marriage. It’s finally finished, but the bad news continues.
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The owner of a lighthouse featured on Grand Designs UK – which took almost 11 years to build – has revealed his nightmare is not yet over.
Edward Short, who racked up debts of more than $12 million transforming the coastal property, and whose marriage fell apart during the mammoth project, says he could be broke by Christmas unless a buyer is found, The Sun reports.
One Direction star Harry Styles has shown an interest, but so far no deal has been made.
The pad also caught the eye of Michael Jackson’s former bodyguard Matt Fiddes, but Mr Short blasted him as a “time waster”.
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Mr Fiddes said he wanted to convert the building into 12 luxury flats but then failed to make an offer.
The brochure for the house has been downloaded more than 200,000 times by potential buyers and nosy Grand Designs viewers.
But Mr Short, who works as a music producer, told The Sun: “The fact is, I still don’t know if I’ll end up with £1 or do all right until we get those final bids in.
“There are two possible end games here. Either a happy one or a very sad Christmas tree job coming up at the end of the year.”
Painful journey of clifftop build
Mr Short started building Chesil Cliff House and its annex known as The Eye, in North Devon, in 2011.
It was meant to take 18 months to build but when Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud visited it again in 2019, it was a “carcass” – which he described as looking like a wreckage on a sea shore.
The TV host returned this week for a catch-up and viewers were amazed to see the house was finally finished – but now Mr Short has to sell because investors want their money back.
It is currently on the market with an asking price of £10 million ($A17.8 million).
Viewers were also shocked that the build had cost Mr Short his marriage, as he revealed he had split from fashion buyer wife Hazel. Viewers were also amazed at the transformation of the couple’s two daughters – who were not even teenagers when they first appeared on screen in 2016.
Lauren, now 21, and Nicole, 22, told how they were relieved the house had finally been finished – and claimed their parents probably would have split eventually anyway.
Mr Short said he felt “disappointed” watching the ‘Revisited’ episode because he felt the show went over too much old ground.
He said he watched the episode with Hazel and her boyfriend Steve to make sure they could phone their daughters to “check they were all right” afterwards.
“The girls are very relaxed and confident and strong – as a parent that’s all you want from your children,” Mr Short said.
“Lauren watched it but Nicole’s in New Zealand so hasn’t seen it yet. I know it goes to New Zealand, Australia, Canada and America, in all 52 countries.
“So it’s a huge amount of exposure and we need to see what comes back.
“Lauren was very, very pleased and a bit relieved. I think they’ve done quite a bit of work with her on camera and I think she was worried about some things that she shouldn’t be worried about.
“But for Hazel and me, it was quite a choking moment when you suddenly see your children at ages you can just about remember, but it just seems so far away.
“They’re sitting there on a bunk bed at age 10 or 11 and then coming home from school, and now they are young women of the world.
“So it’s quite a long time span and that really brings it home. It’s a proper punch.”
This story originally appeared on The Sun and is republished here with permission
Originally published as Brutal fallout of Grand Designs’ most infamous episode
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