Kate Garraway to become ITV’s answer to Nick Knowles as they launch DIY: SOS rival

SHE’S gone from breakfast TV presenter to something of a national treasure – now ITV are set to turn Kate Garraway into the next Nick Knowles.

The Good Morning Britain host will draw on her experiences of caring for husband Derek Draper at home as inspiration for a new show called Life Changing Homes.

Similar to BBC1’s DIY SOS it will see a crack team descend on a house which the occupants have to adapt after a major shift in their lives, such as an accident or illness.

A TV insider said: “Kate is the perfect person to front a show like this given that she knows all about adapting to looking after someone since hubby Derek returned from hospital.

“Although she’s a very different character to Nick, she’s hugely popular with viewers who see her as a down to earth figure. She really connects with the public because, like many people, she has gone through a rough time since the pandemic started. At this stage the show is just a pilot, which was filmed this autumn.

“But ITV have high hopes it will become a new series in the new year. They’re keen to provide a platform for Kate as her profile has soared.”

She won a National Television Award for her documentary Finding Derek about the plight of her husband, and is set to make a follow up for ITV soon.

Next year Kate, who has also been on I’m A Celebrity and Strictly, will host Piers Morgan’s Life Stories.

Kate spent thousands of pounds adapting her London house so husband Derek could return home and receive round-the-clock care after his year-long battle with Covid.

Kate transformed the ground floor to accommodate Derek’s hospital bed and medical kit and had a wheelchair lift and wet room installed.

She also added floor-to-ceiling windows so the doting dad could watch their two children, Darcey and Billy, play in the garden.

Kate said at the time the “life-changing” renovations meant they could all be a family again.

Doctors hoped the stimulation of being back home would aid Derek’s recovery.
It’s nice to think Kate will be helping other families with her new show.

Stephen: Return to Office unlikely

FANS of The Office should not hold their breath for a reunion show, according to its co-writer Stephen Merchant.

He reckons a third series wouldn’t work and hinted that its biggest stars – including Ricky Gervais and Martin Freeman – would be too expensive to get on board.

Speaking on the Wernham Blogg – The Office Podcast, he said: “My feeling has always been that a reunion show is not a good idea. It’s better to just let it be fixed in amber, really.

“I don’t think it can ever be the same, even if we could get all those actors back – if we could afford them all.

“I think there’s an urge now to try to turn everything into a franchise and some things just don’t have enough meat on the bone to be a franchise. Not everything can be 15 different spin-off movies.”

Stephen also reckons that Coronavirus could mean a whole band of society only understand working from home in their pyjamas.

He said: “My concern is that because of Covid, offices will become obsolete. Younger generations will be like: ‘Where are these people working? Why are they all in ties and suits?’”

Is there nothing this disease won’t rob from us?

Nesbitt's nest egg

COLD Feet star James Nesbitt will have a warm glow when he checks his bank balance.

He’s worth nearly £6million according to the latest accounts of his company, Brown Cow Films. The film and production company saw its value soar to £5.8m up to March 31 last year.

James, who appeared in Line Of Duty this year and is about to appear in Netflix thriller Stay Close, had been a director of the firm since it was set up 20 years ago.
Maybe he should think about changing its name to Cash Cow.

Davina talks our language

THESE contestants on Davina McCall's new dating show The Language of Love are hoping to find romance in Spain – despite not speaking in the same tongue.

Kimey, 23, from Tenerife, says: “Love moves me, and I will do anything to have a person I love by my side.” She is joined by fellow Spanish-speaker Cristobal, 29, a nurse and barman from Cadiz.

Labourer Arran, 26, from Northumberland reckons he’ll cope as he used to work in a tapas restaurant.

Schools liaison officer Tara, 32, from Stoke-on-Trent says: “I’ve never had a holiday romance, so fingers crossed I’ll get one.”

We booked a double cabin

DATING show The Cabins is returning to ITV2 on Monday and this year the line up of 16 singletons includes twins Callum and Timmy.

The 22-year-old students from Fife are sure to shake things up when they get together in the wilds of Wales.

Blond hunk Callum, who is two minutes younger than his brother, admits Timmy has better skills when it comes to dating.

He said: “That comes with experience I guess.”