Location Location Location celebrates 25 years on Channel 4

• Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer reflect on 25 years of helping the nation find places they can call home.
• Channel 4 commissions dedicated night of celebratory programming with two new specials on Wednesday 14 May.

Pioneering property programme Location Location Location celebrates a quarter of a century on Channel 4 this spring. To mark the series’ silver anniversary and 25 years of TV’s most influential property experts, Kirstie and Phil, Channel 4 is to air a special night of programmes featuring the launch of a brand-new series of Location Location Location as well as two new one-offs.

IWC Media (a Banijay UK company), producers of Location Location Location, have been commissioned to make 25 Years of Location Location Location and Kirstie & Phil: Bleeps, Bloops & Best Bits.

In 25 Years of Location Location Location (1x60’), Kirstie and Phil take a trip down memory lane and look chronologically at the dramatic socio-economic timeline of the UK property market since the show’s inception, showing the ups and downs of a nation wanting a place to call home. The pair also examine the changing demands, property trends and technology across the years - including an offer chat in a phone box!

Kirstie & Phil: Bleeps, Bloops & Best Bits (1x30’) sees Kirstie and Phil share their candid memories of 25 years of house hunting together, squeamishly looking back at the noughties, as well as revealing never-before-seen bloopers and outtakes from past series.

Kirstie Allsopp says: “However many times I hear it I still can’t believe it has been 25 years, it is an enormous privilege to have the opportunity to travel around the whole country working with so many lovely house hunters and such brilliant crew. When Phil and I started we knew a bit about property and nothing about TV, we’ve learned a great deal more about property and a bit about TV. "

Phil Spencer adds: “Although quite surreal, it’s also been fun looking back and seeing not only how we have changed through the 25 years, but also watching how our friendship developed and then strengthened across the years. Being able to visit every part of the four nations and support hundreds of people in their home searches has been an enormous privilege - none of which would have been achievable without so many brilliant people behind the camera.”

Over 25 years, Kirstie and Phil have helped nearly 750 people in their property searches and viewed over 1,800 homes, being entrusted with over £175 million of Brits’ money. In the new series of Location Location Location, beginning as part of the anniversary night on 14 May, Kirstie and Phil assist more home seekers in North Wales and North London, before heading to Stirling and East Dunbartonshire, Oxfordshire, South London, Surrey, Chelmsford and Glasgow.

Deborah Dunnett, Commissioning Editor for Channel 4, said: “Location Location Location is not only a pioneer in being one of the first property series on television, it has also led the way in taking its production into the nations and regions with its Glasgow base. That’s where I first worked with Phil and Kirstie, directing Location Location Location, and it is a huge privilege to now commission a glorious night of TV celebrating the show’s enduring legacy – which, ultimately, is making peoples’ dreams come true. Cheers to 25 years of Kirstie and Phil!” 

Gerard Costello, Head of Popular Factual at IWC Media, comments: “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.”

Location Location Location, 25 Years of Location Location Location and Kirstie & Phil: Bleeps, Bloops & Best Bits are IWC Media productions for Channel 4. They are commissioned by Deborah Dunnett, Commissioning Editor, Lifestyle, with Jasper Hone, Commissioning Executive, Lifestyle and Jo Street, Director of Commissioning, Nations & Regions and Head of Lifestyle. The executive producers for IWC Media are Gerard Costello and Julyan Sinclair with Series Producer, Harriette Powell.

Celebrate 25 years of Location Location Location with Channel 4. Watch or stream the new series and specials from 8pm on Wednesday 14 May. Kirstie and Phil’s top 10 episodes will also be available to stream on Channel4.com.