House Doctor

"House Doctor" is a British Entertainment television programme. Broadcast on Five, each week the House Doctor, Californian real estate stylist Ann Maurice helps UK home owners sell their houses with her industry know-how and style tips. The popularity of the show has let the word "house doctoring" to British English lexicon, to the American term home staging.

Format

Developed by Talkback Productions, the 30min show opens with a presenter (a male to off-set Maurice), who shows to the present owners a video recording of the reactions of a number of prospective purchasers viewing the house, and their (negative) feedback. Maurice then enters the house during the video, and chats with the owners about the feedback and the major areas they can improve for a budget of around 1% of sales price. Maurice then instructs the presenter, the owners and some hired in local tradesman on the work, which is seen in some detail with an explanation as to why this is being done/how to make best costs. The show then ends with Maurice touring the revamped house, and new feedback from the original viewers. The owners then give feedback on the experience, and a voice over at the end confirms the current sales status.

History

The show's pilot was broadcast on 22 August 1998, and the first series ran in spring 1999 on Five, and has run for seven seasons.

The presenter for series two and three was Tris Payne, but he left the show to move to BBC1 to present the daily morning show Real Rooms. He was replaced by Alistair Appleton for four through six. Maurice then became the presenter and House Doctor, and the show was extended to 60mins to include gardens.

There have also been a series of spin-off shows and specials, including "House Doctor - Top 10" things that you need to fix to sell your house

Overseas editions

"House Doctor" is now broadcast in a number of countries via the BBC Worldwide network and its partners, including USA, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and Poland.

End of the Show?

Maurice has admitted after seven series, the format has probably come to an end of its natural life. Maurice's latest programme "Ann Maurice Interior Rivalry" has been aired on Five since 6 July 2006. The programme will be based on her Home Staging course, and the prize is a chance to start their own business in Home Staging.

External links

* [http://www.housedoctor.co.uk Ann Maurice's official website - housedoctor.co.uk]
* [http://www.five.tv/homes Homes] at five.tv
* [http://www.uktvstyle.co.uk/index.cfm/uktvstyle/StandardItem.index/aid/737.shtml Bio at UKTV Style]
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* [http://tvnstyle.pl/1355506,programy.html House Doctor as 'Zaklinacze wnętrz' and its Polish web-profile]