Channel 4's Grand Designs celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024 and at the helm over all those years, through all those series has been legendary TV presenter Kevin McCloud. The show first aired all the way back in 1999, and a quarter-century and nearly 200 episodes later, Grand Designs continues to inspire countless individuals to pursue their dreams of creating the perfect home. A special 25th anniversary episode of Grand Designs aired in September, while a new series of the Channel 4 show is underway.
Amid the anniversary celebrations I sat down and spoke with Kevin McCloud about Grand Designs, its success and what he's seen in his 25 years on the show. Q&A with Grand Designs legend Kevin McCloud Question: When you started Grand Designs back in 1999 did you ever think that it was going to last for as long as it has? Kevin McCloud (KM) : "No, of course not. Television is such an oh, it's such a little infant industry, and it's so full of doubt, self doubt and fear of failure.
"And we all thought it was going to, kind of just last for one series. You can't ever predict the success of something. "I'm always fascinated by this, that (the success of) Game of Thrones.
Who knew? You know what I mean. "George Lucas, when he did Star Wars, right, made it on a budget. Without Gerry Anderson and Thunderbirds and all the technology and techniques, puppetry and model making that were in the UK at the time doing science fiction.
"You look at the Star Wars and Space 1999, which was lik.