Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen gives up his own home after suffering 'end of life crisis'
Changing Rooms star Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has made a major life decision by handing over the deeds of his Cotswolds estate to his two sons-in-law after a terrifying ordeal
TV star and design expert Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has revealed that he's handed over the ownership of his Cotswolds estate to his sons-in-law. This announcement comes after he shared his struggles with a harrowing experience..
The 60-year-old disclosed in January that he suffered an "end of life crisis" following a terrifying incident while filming Netflix's Celebrity Bear Hunt, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Bear Grylls, where he lost consciousness during a water stunt.
Looking ahead, the Changing Rooms star is "no longer lord of the manor" at his Cotswolds property, where he resides in the main house with his wife Jackie, also 60, their youngest daughter Hermione, 27, and her partner. His eldest daughter Cecile, 30, lives nearby on the same grounds with her husband and their two children.
Laurence shared the amusing experience of explaining his decision to solicitors: "One of the most amusing things was having to sit down with a solicitor for them to assess whether Jackie and I were being coerced into this by our bullying sons-in-law. Our friends just can't believe it. They go, 'what happens if you all fall out?'"
The celebrity, with a net worth of £8 million, shared in his Sunday Times column: "We're not going to be those old people sitting on a great big pile of cash. Terribly unhappy, terribly lonely.
"Owning a lot of stuff but not actually having the benefit of it. We are very, very privileged, but we have made this decision. We have manifested this life."
In a surprising revelation, he disclosed that the property deeds are in the names of his daughters' husbands. Hermione quipped: "Hilariously, Cecile and I aren't on the deeds, because we inherit it anyway - it's actually the husbands.'".
Laurence recounted a terrifying ordeal during his appearance on Bear Grylls' Celebrity Bear Hunt, which aired in February. The incident left a lasting impact on him.
While participating in a water challenge in Costa Rica, the then-59-year-old interior designer was caught in a bungee line and pulled under the boat. He remained submerged for what felt like an eternity before the show's safety team rescued him, unconscious, from the dangerous situation.
Before his appearance on the reality show, the celebrity reflected on his wife's thoughts, sharing: "She feels it's got midlife crisis written all over it, although, as I keep telling her, I'm too old to have a midlife crisis, this is more like an end of life crisis.
"She's actually, frankly, incredibly jealous. She would love to do it and has always been mildly irritated that no one's ever asked her to do something like this.
"Because she literally has always had in her handbag, a SAS Survival Guide, to get herself out of all sorts. I meant to bring it actually and again, how foolishly, I completely forgot."
The Mail reports that Laurence invited his family to stay at his luxurious Cotswolds estate after he and his wife Jackie found themselves with too much space, saying they "were rattling around the house like dried peas in a luxury tin."
With the arrival of family, their home took on a new energy, and the star commented: "We certainly aren't sliding into our sixtieth year with boredom calling. We want to use our time wisely and valuably. The way you design your world helps the way you feel.
"We have our big manor house filled with children and pieces of brightly coloured plastic and Peppa Pig again.
"I think its something that more and more people should be doing, for us boomers generation we're all sort of surprised we've made it to 60.
"I think everyone thought we would live fast and die young rather than live very, very slowly and die really quite old."