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Build a New Life in the Country

Build a New Life in the Country is a series of 12 primetime features documentaries. In each one, architect George Clarke follows the experiences of people making the life and house move of a lifetime. They are going for the Three D's - Dream Lifestyle in Dream Home in Dream Location.

The programme subject area has been tackled before in other property and lifestyle series. The distinctive brief for "Build" was, first, to interweave the "starting a new life" and the "making a dream home" stories. Secondly, the scale and cost of the projects had to feel accessible to a mass audience - these are not huge new pieces of expensive modern architecture, they are smaller conversions and restorations - though none the less inspiring for that. Thirdly the series was to feel inspiring, not riddled with doom-saying jeopardies. And fourthly the programmes had to follow the stories where they led - which often involves dramatic twists and turns - with the focus not on the property itself, but on the experience of the people dealing with real issues like financial crisis, marital breakdown, or getting engaged - as well as what it feels like to carry and lift heavy stone slates in the dark after a hard day's work at the office.

The series featured brave "have a go", "you only live once" characters willing to risk everything for better lives and lifestyles in beautiful settings, and a young, authoritative, warm and emotionally intelligent expert in presenter George Clarke.
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Channel 5 wanted a series that would reach 1.6 million viewers and a 7% audience share. The series aired on Thursdays at 9pm through the summer, and ratings grew steadily to the 2 million mark and 10% audience share, peaking at 2.5 million, making it a breakthrough hit for the Channel as well as an important identifying brand.

Broadcaster: five
Format: 12 x 60"