Happened upon this a few minutes ago:
?In the very first series of Grand Designs we only made eight episodes, and frankly I was surprised when we got into double figures, never mind reached the hundredth programme,? says Kevin McCloud, when asked how it feels to have spent the last 13 years on buildings sites in Britain and Europe.
?So much work goes into each programme ? more than 200 hours of filming on location, then many more hours writing and editing. I thought by now we would be running out of ideas, but I?m surprised all the time. I?m fascinated by the fact that everything is so different.
?The biggest change I have seen over the years is that people?s ambitions are much less grand. Because they can?t spend their way out of a hole the way they could before the recession, it?s been good for their ingenuity, and ultimately that makes good television. So I think this is our strongest series yet. I?m really excited.
?Television is a short-term world, but we plough on. In the lifespan of Grand Designs we?ve had 24 directors, five series producers, three executive producers and we?re on to our sixth commissioning editor at Channel 4. I?ve been on the back burner all this time, in the shadows, under trees, pootling along. I?m very happy to continue to do that.
?It?s not a job; it?s a way of life for me. It?s what I do.
"Here are my favourite Grand Designs..."