Escape to the Country viewers express dismay over celebrity special amid cost of living

ETTC: Ian Watkins and husband guess the price of property

Fans of BBC's Escape to the Country were left feeling disconnected as they implored the show to "read the room" during a recent episode.

On Monday's celebrity edition (December 30th), presenter Denise Nurse helped Steps icon Ian 'H' Watkins and his partner Tom search for a dream home in Wales.

Denise took H and Tom on an exclusive tour across South Wales, showcasing four properties with each worth more than £1 million. However, the extravagant homes failed to resonate with viewers amid the stark backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis.

Wales Online reports aggrieved fans aired their feelings on social media platform X, with one noting: "#bbc not reading the room with these #escapetothecountry episodes are they? Pampered celebs with £7 figures to spend at a time there's a cost of living crisis and proliferation of food banks."

Another viewer bemoaned the choices, querying: "Having celebs on this program brings nothing to the party, apart from having to pay an appearance fee."

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Fans were not best pleased during the latest episode of Celebrity Escape to the Country (Image: BBC)

Another disgruntled fan wrote: "I just love watching c**p singers looking for their new 2 million pound home."

Echoing the sentiment, someone else criticised: "Who on earth thought it would be a good idea during tough economic times to come up with a program where H from Steps looks at £1.5 million properties? ! Snobbery and elitism at its finest!"

While another viewer expressed disappointment: "These Christmas #escapetothecountry episodes somehow leave a bad taste.

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The expensive homes left fans unsettled (Image: BBC) SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

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However, there was joy among other fans as H decided to relocate to Wales, with one enthusiastic viewer commenting: "It's the best place to live! We love it!"

Towards the end of the show, Denise caught up with H and Tom to gauge their feelings on the house hunt and if they were tempted to put in an offer on any properties.

H, however, made clear that he needed time to weigh his options, emphasising: "I love that we've seen lots of ideas that we can recreate, I loved your mystery house. There is a lot to think about!"

Celebrity Escape to the Country is available to watch on BBC Iplayer.