I Escaped to the Country

Nicki Chapman is reunited with a couple she first met a few years ago when they were house hunting in the Worcestershire countryside and bought one of the properties they viewed together. Unfortunately, just weeks after moving in, their dream home was destroyed by a fire and they had to spend three years rebuilding it. Nicki now returns to see the complete transformation they have managed to achieve and how, in the aftermath of such turmoil, they are now enjoying life in their new country home. Later, Nicki also revisits a property-hunting couple she met in Dorset, whose new house in the heart of a village has opened doors into the thriving community.

Nicki Chapman heads to Derbyshire's Peak District to revisit a house-hunting couple who have used their interior design flair to beautifully refurbish a property she first took them to and they ended up buying. After being impressed by their 'country house' inspired décor, she takes in the dramatic setting of the National Park, where her house hunters now enjoy walking and landscape photography. Later, Nicki crosses the border into Nottinghamshire and catches up with a retired teacher who has been loving life in her Escape cottage for the past few years. Nicki sees how her move has been a springboard to a new social life and allowed her to realise a long-harboured dream of owning a narrowboat.

Jules Hudson catches up with house-hunting couples who have successfully made the leap to the Welsh countryside. First, he pays a visit to some of his most enthusiastic escapees, who bought one of the rural properties he showed them few years ago. As well as admiring how they have made their mark on their country home, Jules sees not only that ploughing their efforts into self-sufficiency keeps them fit, but also how swapping homemade produce with neighbours keeps their community spirit alive and well. Later, Jules drops in on a couple who, since their house search together, have had a lifestyle overhaul and are reaping the rewards of setting up their mountain biking and holiday let business.

Nicki Chapman visits the West Country to be reunited with couples she helped make the momentous step of moving from town to country. Nicki catches up with her Wiltshire house buyers, now happily living in the character home they first saw together. She sees how volunteering in the local shop and forging ahead with new hobbies has put them at the heart of village life. Later, Nicki meets her property purchasers in Somerset, who had emotional reactions to all three houses she initially showed them. Nicki is impressed by how they have decorated the one they chose to buy. The house has also allowed them to grow their successful dog grooming business, now a popular port of call for canines in their local community.

Alistair Appleton catches up with two house-hunting couples who made the successful leap of relocating from the city to the east of England countryside. First he revisits some of his Cambridgeshire house buyers, now happily living in the character home he first showed them. Besides holding down their new teaching jobs, they also organise a weekly village quiz night, which Alistair finds is extremely popular with the local community. Later, Alistair heads to north Lincolnshire to call on a couple who successfully bought their country home close to the family farm. He is impressed by how they have made their decorative mark on the living spaces and sees how excited they are at the prospect of bringing up their young family in such a relaxed rural setting.

Nicki Chapman visits Cornwall to be reunited with a teacher she first met a few years ago, when the clock was ticking to find a perfect home before the new school term started. Nicki hears how she is loving life in the cottage they first saw together and explores the local beauty spots she enjoys after a busy school day. Nicki also visits a retired couple she helped find a Cornish retreat after they made surprise changes to their property wishlist. Nicki sees how they have added their own personal touch to their new home, which gives them beautiful countryside on the doorstep for walks with their beloved dogs.

Jules Hudson catches up with house hunters who left behind their hectic working lives in Brighton and relocated to Herefordshire. On their £300,000 budget, they successfully bought one of the homes they saw after a big rethink on their original property wishlist. Jules sees how their new home and the village location has had such a positive impact on their wellbeing and feeling part of local life. Jules also drops in on some of his former house hunters who had a £365,000 budget and are now happily living in one of the houses he first showed them. He finds out why they are delighted to have made the lifestyle leap to rural Monmouthshire.

Jonnie Irwin heads to North Yorkshire to be reunited with his former house hunters who, with their £850,000 budget, wanted to escape London to be closer to family and raise their own young children in the country. They acted decisively and bought one of the country properties Jonnie first showed them. Despite being in the early months of settling in, Jonnie finds them all in great spirits. Their children love the great outdoors and are happy in their new school, and the parents are keen to get to grips with making home-grown produce. With that in mind, Jonnie takes them to Beningbrough Hall's community orchard, where they get a workout from squeezing freshly pressed apple juice.

Jonnie Irwin revisits a couple he helped on their initial property search in Sussex. Jonnie returns to the house he showed them that they ultimately bought for under their £600,000 budget. The couple each had very strong ideas on what they wanted from their move to the country, with one of them determined to run a bed and breakfast from their new home. Building work is in progress, so Jonnie sees how their vision will provide accommodation for the business without intruding on their personal living space. As well walking their new dog in the surrounding countryside, Jonnie and his house buyers visit one of the award-winning vineyards Sussex is home to. After harvesting grapes and eating more than a few, they sample the array of wines produced there.

Alistair Appleton catches up with two couples whose property searches helped them make a successful leap to the Norfolk countryside. First he revisits some house buyers who had a £400,000 budget and are now loving life in the home they bought. Over a cup of tea in their kitchen, Alistair finds out what creative changes they have made to the interior and how much pleasure they have had discovering new country walks from their doorstep. Alistair then meets up with a married couple of musicians who, on their initial house hunt, had quickly cast aside their property criteria when they fell in love with one particular Norfolk village. Alistair tracks them down at that village's community shop, where they now volunteer, to find out what happened next.