A Place in the Sun (TV series)
A Place in the Sun is a British FreeForm/Channel 4 lifestyle programme about buying property abroad. It most often focuses on places in southern Europe, but in recent years has also featured a number of places in other areas of the world. It is usually presented by former estate agent and model Amanda Lamb; other presenters have included Victoria Hollingsworth, Simone Bienne, Fay Davies, Zilpah Hartley, Jasmine Harman and Jonnie Irwin. Laura Hamilton is also now presenting with the team.
Generally, each episode of the programme shows a couple looking at four selected properties in a particular area within a budget. Then the "house hunters" are given some time to discuss between themselves to decide on what house they are going to buy. They then go back to the presenter to tell them which house they want to buy. It normally ends with the presenter phoning the house's estate agent and placing the bid the "house hunters" want to place on that particular house. It was a response to the growth in Britons buying property abroad. It the last few years it has shown destinations as diverse as Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Canada, Australia, South Africa, the Caribbean and even Cape Verde.
[edit] Spin-offs
Spin-offs have included a magazine, which is now the most popular magazine advising on buying overseas property, and two live exhibitions per year in London and Birmingham called A Place in the Sun Live. There have also been a number of spin-off television programmes:
- My Place in the Sun, revisiting people who have appeared on A Place in the Sun and reviewing the effect that their new property has had on their lives
- Housetrapped in the Sun, looking at disasters that have occurred while buying property abroad
- A Place in Greece, A Place in France, A Place in Spain (and the sequel A Place in Spain - Year 2) and A Place in Slovakia (with its sequel Chaos at the Chateau), each of which has a continuing docusoap format.
- A Place by the Sea, which looks at buying property in coastal areas of the UK, presented by Seetha Hallett.
- A Place in the Sun - Home or Away, in which people view properties both in the UK and in a foreign country, presented by Jasmine Harman and Jonnie Irwin.
