Better Homes

(Key moment added)
(Web links)
 
(12 intermediate revisions not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
<div class="box">
<div class="box">
 +
== Host ==
== Host ==
Line 6: Line 7:
== Co-hosts ==
== Co-hosts ==
-
"Handy hunks" Adrian and Neil Rayment
+
Adrian and Neil Rayment (Handy Hunks: ''Better Homes'')
 +
 
 +
Kim Wilde (''Better Gardens'')
== Broadcast ==
== Broadcast ==
-
Granada for ITV, 1999 to 2002
+
Granada for ITV, 4 January 1999 to 1 July 2003 (53 episodes in 6 series + 2 specials)
 +
 
 +
as ''Better Gardens'', 6 January to 13 February 2000 (8 episodes in 1 series)
</div>
</div>
Line 22: Line 27:
The totalitarian regime of Carol 'Ubiquitous' Vorderman oversees ITV's very own version of ''Changing Rooms'' but without the obvious personalities and eccentricities of the BBC's designers this show, for us at least, lacks appeal.
The totalitarian regime of Carol 'Ubiquitous' Vorderman oversees ITV's very own version of ''Changing Rooms'' but without the obvious personalities and eccentricities of the BBC's designers this show, for us at least, lacks appeal.
-
I mean, it's some people doing up a pair of houses. Why do you people watch this? There's little of the hilarity of the owners not actually liking their new rooms as occasionally happens when Laurence Llwelyn-Bowen is let loose in Changing Rooms and it just seems far less watchable.
+
<div class="image">[[Image:Betterhomes vorderman mixer.jpg|300px]]''And this sort of thing isn't going to help, either''</div>
 +
 
 +
I mean, it's some people doing up a pair of houses. Why do you people watch this? There's little of the hilarity of the owners not actually liking their new rooms as occasionally happens when Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is let loose in Changing Rooms and it just seems far less watchable.
In addition, the point of having a winner is completely... pointless, particularly as the families do next to nothing to influence the outcome (how quickly people forget ''[[The National Lottery Big Ticket]]'').
In addition, the point of having a winner is completely... pointless, particularly as the families do next to nothing to influence the outcome (how quickly people forget ''[[The National Lottery Big Ticket]]'').
Of course, we don't like the show and yet it's one of ITV's most popular. Sigh. Pass the gin.
Of course, we don't like the show and yet it's one of ITV's most popular. Sigh. Pass the gin.
 +
 +
=== Better Gardens ===
 +
 +
Well, we suppose it was a natural follow-on to 'do' a garden version of the show.
 +
 +
The format's pretty much the same. The only real embellishment is the addition of 80s pop siren Kim Wilde who, it turns out, is a bit of a dab hand at getting her hands deep in compost. Not sure whether the "kids in America" will appreciate that very much.
 +
 +
Move along now, nothing to see here.
== Key moments ==
== Key moments ==
Line 32: Line 47:
They insisted on playing short bursts of the hardly-catchy theme music every five seconds!
They insisted on playing short bursts of the hardly-catchy theme music every five seconds!
-
== Merchandise ==
+
== Theme music ==
-
[http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0233997490/labyrinthgames Carol Vorderman's Better Homes]
+
Patrick Duffin.  
== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
-
Carol's "Handy hunks" Adrian and Neil Rayment went on to become mega-famous as the twins in two parts of ''The Matrix'' trilogy. If that's not a shift up the career ladder, we don't know what is.
+
Carol's "Handy Hunks" Adrian and Neil Rayment went on to become mega-famous as the twins in two parts of ''The Matrix'' trilogy. If that's not a shift up the career ladder, we don't know what is.
-
== Web links ==
+
== Merchandise ==
-
[http://www.betterhomesonline.co.uk/ Official ITV site]
+
[http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0233997490/labyrinthgames Carol Vorderman's Better Homes]
-
== Pictures ==
+
== Web links ==
-
<div class="image"><IMG src="/atoz/programmes/b/better_homes/better_homes2.jpg" alt="better_homes2.jpg" width="302" height="276">
+
[http://web.archive.org/web/20030805004020/http://www.betterhomesonline.co.uk/ ITV's Better Homes website] from August 2003, via the Internet Archive.
-
'''Picture 1''' - Carol gets touched up by the twins.</div>
+
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Homes Wikipedia entry]
 +
 
 +
== Pictures ==
-
<div class="image"><IMG src="/atoz/programmes/b/better_homes/better_homes1.jpg" alt="better_homes1.jpg" width="231" height="300">
+
<div class="image"><IMG src="/atoz/programmes/b/better_homes/better_homes2.jpg" alt="better_homes2.jpg" width="302" height="276">''Carol gets touched up by the twins''.</div>
-
'''Picture 2''' - Carol gives the twins a sort of coat they're not in need of right now.</div>
+
<div class="image"><IMG src="/atoz/programmes/b/better_homes/better_homes1.jpg" alt="better_homes1.jpg" width="231" height="300">''Carol gives the twins a sort of coat they're not in need of right now.''</div>
[[Category:Lifestyle]]
[[Category:Lifestyle]]
 +
[[Category:Granada Productions]]

Current revision as of 10:32, 23 March 2014

Contents

Host

Carol Vorderman

Co-hosts

Adrian and Neil Rayment (Handy Hunks: Better Homes)

Kim Wilde (Better Gardens)

Broadcast

Granada for ITV, 4 January 1999 to 1 July 2003 (53 episodes in 6 series + 2 specials)

as Better Gardens, 6 January to 13 February 2000 (8 episodes in 1 series)

Synopsis

Game shows are so un-Karl Marx, aren't they?

Consider this - two houses get done up for television and the one that puts on the most value after the renovation wins the owners an additional £5000 (or, in the latest series, a family holiday). So that's a done up house, a more expensive house and £5000, all for taking part in a game show.

The totalitarian regime of Carol 'Ubiquitous' Vorderman oversees ITV's very own version of Changing Rooms but without the obvious personalities and eccentricities of the BBC's designers this show, for us at least, lacks appeal.

And this sort of thing isn't going to help, either

I mean, it's some people doing up a pair of houses. Why do you people watch this? There's little of the hilarity of the owners not actually liking their new rooms as occasionally happens when Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is let loose in Changing Rooms and it just seems far less watchable.

In addition, the point of having a winner is completely... pointless, particularly as the families do next to nothing to influence the outcome (how quickly people forget The National Lottery Big Ticket).

Of course, we don't like the show and yet it's one of ITV's most popular. Sigh. Pass the gin.

Better Gardens

Well, we suppose it was a natural follow-on to 'do' a garden version of the show.

The format's pretty much the same. The only real embellishment is the addition of 80s pop siren Kim Wilde who, it turns out, is a bit of a dab hand at getting her hands deep in compost. Not sure whether the "kids in America" will appreciate that very much.

Move along now, nothing to see here.

Key moments

They insisted on playing short bursts of the hardly-catchy theme music every five seconds!

Theme music

Patrick Duffin.

Trivia

Carol's "Handy Hunks" Adrian and Neil Rayment went on to become mega-famous as the twins in two parts of The Matrix trilogy. If that's not a shift up the career ladder, we don't know what is.

Merchandise

Carol Vorderman's Better Homes

Web links

ITV's Better Homes website from August 2003, via the Internet Archive.

Wikipedia entry

Pictures

Carol gets touched up by the twins.
Carol gives the twins a sort of coat they're not in need of right now.

Feedback

To correct something on this page or post an addition, please complete this form and press "Send":
If you are asking us a question, please read our contact us page and FAQ first.

Name: E-mail:   
A Labyrinth Games site.
Design by Thomas.
Printable version
Editors: Log in