Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Dick and Angel Strawbridge explain why Escape to the Chateau will never air on French television

The answer may surprise you!

escape chateu french tv
Eve Crosbie
TV & Film Writer
Share this:

Dick and Angel Strawbridge are household names here in the UK thanks to their popular lifestyle programme, Escape to the Chateau, which sees them take on the mammoth task of renovating a 45-bedroom chateau in the North West of France.

MORE: Escape to the Chateau's Angel Strawbridge defends 19-year age gap with husband Dick

The programme has been such a hit with viewers that it has spawned several spin-off shows - including Escape to the Chateau: Make Do and Mend, which returns to Channel 4 this month - and has been broadcast in over 40 countries worldwide, including the US.

However, one country that you will never see the show televised is the place the husband and wife duo now call home - and the reason why may surprise you.

WATCH: Dick and Angel Strawbridge unveil incredible new library

In an interview with The Telegraph earlier this year, the couple revealed that they hate being seen as a "celebrity couple" and so have always refused to allow the show to be aired on French television channels in order to maintain as private a life as they possibly can when the cameras aren't rolling.

MORE: 5 facts you didn't know about Escape to the Chateau's Dick and Angel Strawbridge

MORE: Escape to the Chateau's Dick and Angel Strawbridge reflect on 'hardest part' of move to France

"We are very normal and that's the secret; people can see themselves in us," Dick told the newspaper, explaining that while locals in Martigné-sur-Mayenne are aware of what he and his wife of six years do, they are not by any means famous.

"Viewers can see our relationship reflected in their own lives. We are definitely not a celebrity couple in our world. My mum would clip my ear if I acted like a bloody idiot," he added.

escape dick angel© Photo: Instagram

Dick and Angel have refused to allow Escape to the Chateau to air on French television channels

Elsewhere in the interview, the couple also addressed claims that they had "bullied" employees of Spark Media, the independent production company that filmed the first four series of the renovation show. Numerous former crew members alleged to The Times that the couple were "aggressive and abusive" during filming.

In response to the allegations, Angel said: "If you asked every single person on our team, they would all say that Dick is completely chivalrous. He will always be that person opening doors, helping people, and if anyone upsets me, he will be the first person to take control of the situation. He is very protective."

MORE: Escape to the Chateau: Dick and Angel Strawbridge's unbelievable home revealed

She continued: "These anonymous people – we don't know who they are – we probably only met once. One of them, the main one we think, we only met for a couple of hours.

"The people who were here for any length of time were family; the kids knew them and we really opened up our world to them, so you can imagine that it felt very sad to read a lot of that stuff."

Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.