Grand Designs goes live for week of specials

Grand Designs, Channel 4’s flagship home design programme, is to go live for the first time in May with a week-long series of daytime and primetime specials which will expand the highly successful TV brand and celebrate the world of British design innovation and the passion of British people for their homes.

Kevin McCloud anchors this major TV event, which pays tribute to Britain’s most inspired homes, and provides an ultimate one-stop information shop for aspiring grand designers.

After six series of watching other people cope with the stresses of self-build projects, Kevin will finally bite the bullet and build a house himself – an exciting home designed by RIBA award-winning architect Duncan Baker Brown. Using cutting-edge building innovations, all underpinned by Kevin’s green principles, and with the help of a host of celebrity guest presenters including Phil Spencer, Kirstie Allsopp, Naomi Cleaver and Janet Street-Porter, Kevin has just one week to create his very own Grand Design.

This special live edition will also celebrate the very best of Britain’s passionate builders with a nationwide competition to find the Grand Designs Home of the Year. A panel of some of the biggest names in architecture and design will shortlist categories including Best New Build, Best Eco Home and Best Redesigned House, and each night viewers will get to vote for their favourite with an ultimate winner being announced at the end of the week.