Escape to the Country star Nicki Chapman's renovated home has its own 'panic room'

The BBC presenter and her music manager husband Dave Shackleton live in a London home they bought in 2007 and have extensively renovated

Nicki Chapman wearing a mint green dress at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022© Shutterstock
Francesca ShillcockDigital Travel Editor
Updated: 4 days ago
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Escape to the Country presenter Nicki Chapman is no stranger to grand homes. Nicki is back on screens in 2026 to host the tenth season of the BBC spin-off series, I Escaped to the Country, where she revisits those who have packed up their home in the city and relocated to the quaint countryside. 

While she helps couples find their forever home in the country, off-screen, Nicki and her music manager husband Dave Shackleton live in an Edwardian property in West London, which they have completely renovated. 

The couple bought the property more than 15 years ago in 2007 - but the place needed a bit of work to become their family home. Over the years, they have done extensive renovation work on the space, which has been converted from two flats into a single house. 

© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Nicki Chapman hosts Escape to the Country

These days their home boasts four bedrooms, an enormous open-plan kitchen-dining area which leads out into their garden, and stylish décor.

The house even has a "panic room" which is essentially a wooden chest with storage space. 

"We've got bird food, cushions and blankets inside," Nicki shared. "I call it the panic room because if anything ever happened, we would dive into it."

See more photos of her stylish home...

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© Instagram

In an interview with The Times last September, the BBC Radio 2 broadcaster explained the extent of the work they've had done on their home.

"We had rolled steel joists put in, took the back off and added a kitchen extension, which opens onto the garden. We also built at the sides and put in en suites. 

"Nothing of the original house remains, apart from the staircase."

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© Instagram

Nicki also shared how they completely changed their kitchen to modernise it, putting in parquet flooring and a separate area for a pantry and utility area.

This photo shows Nicki's kitchen without the parquet floor put in and we think it's already stunning!

We can imagine the upgrade will look even more fabulous, but she's fortunate that the cooking area remains stylish while they await the new fittings.

The kitchen also features pristine, white marble-style surfaces, glass cabinets with frosted glass and a large fridge freezer. 

The hob oven also has a large extractor fan above it, and in the corner of the room, there is a coffee station and cookbook shelves.

The kitchen's extremely high ceilings are wow-worthy and feature a few skylights, too. 

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© Instagram

These high ceilings lead into the lounge and dining area from the kitchen, making the entire downstairs space light, airy and perfectly laid out for socialising.

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© Instagram

The living area also features a huge cream sofa sitting on top of a colour rug which is facing directly opposite the wall-to-wall bifold doors, meaning in the day they can see out into the garden.

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© Instagram

Nicki has also added lovely finishing touches to the room such as colourful textiles, cushions and prints on the wall. 

There are also plenty of tall plants adding colour and a homely feel.

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© Instagram

The garden itself is also gorgeous. Nicki told The Times: "I wanted to attract more wildlife so we put in trees, including pleached hornbeams along the back which provide fantastic security and privacy. 

"Who needs a fence? The garden was my sanctuary and happy place when I came out of hospital after surgery."

Nicki Chapman opens up about health journey

Nicki was diagnosed with a brain tumour the size of a golf ball in 2019 which she described as "the most frightening experience of her life."

In her new memoir, So Tell Me What You Want, she reflects on the ordeal: "Receiving that news was, without doubt, the most shocking and frightening experience of my life - even worse than being chased by an elephant on safari with the Spice Girls.

Recommended videoYou may also likeWATCH: Nicki Chapman's shares a video of her garden 'sanctuary'

"The only thing it really made me do is have a greater sense of gratitude," said Nicki, who is an ambassador for the Brain Tumour Charity. "I had a brain tumour. I didn't have brain cancer, but my surgeon and the NHS had that conversation with me. I made my will. You know, nothing is given and it does give you an appreciation."

Nicki has since made a recovery and is keen not to let it "define" her, choosing instead to put it away on a metaphorical filing cabinet. "You do this with a lot of things in life — it will always be there, but I don't need to keep opening it." 

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