The BBC has confirmed a major shake-up for DIY SOS, with Nick Knowles’ much-loved home renovation show set to be “rested” in 2027 as the corporation looks to cut costs.
The long-running programme, which first aired in 1999, will take a break after its current series, but the BBC has insisted the brand is not disappearing from screens altogether.
Instead, a new spin-off will revisit some of the families and renovation projects featured throughout the show's history.
The decision comes as the corporation faces ongoing “savings challenges” and works towards its first-phase target of saving £500million over the next three years.
A BBC spokesperson said: “In light of the BBC’s savings challenges we have taken the decision to rest DIY SOS in 2027 and commission a new spin-off show instead from producers South Shore.
“DIY SOS Rebuilt My Life will revisit successes from the show’s past and expand the brand on the BBC in a more cost-effective way next year.”
The announcement follows a series of recent programme cuts, including the cancellation of Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live At The Apollo.
What will happen to DIY SOS?
DIY SOS has been a fixture of British television for more than 25 years, helping families facing severe illness, disability, bereavement and building disasters transform their homes.
The programme originally began as a low-budget series in which Knowles and a small team helped homeowners tackle botched DIY projects.
It was relaunched as DIY SOS: The Big Build in 2010, shifting towards much larger renovations that brought together tradespeople and local communities to transform properties across Britain.
While the regular series will be rested next year, the BBC's planned spin-off, DIY SOS Rebuilt My Life, will look back at successful projects and the people whose lives have been changed by the programme.
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DIY SOS's most memorable projects
Over the years, the show has taken on some hugely ambitious builds, often bringing communities together to support people facing extraordinary circumstances.
In 2015, Knowles worked alongside the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Sussex and hundreds of volunteers to transform a derelict street in Manchester into housing for veterans.
Prince William returned to the programme in 2018 for a two-part special supporting survivors and the community affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people.
The emotional episodes saw the DIY SOS team build a new community centre and help restore the Dale Youth Boxing Club, which had been destroyed in the June 2017 fire.
More recently, the programme launched its 35th series earlier this month with an emotional renovation that left Knowles in tears.
The team worked to help 16-year-old Dan, who has spent the past three years in hospital after life-saving surgery to remove a brain tumour left him with complex disabilities.
Knowles became emotional during what was described as a “physically and emotionally draining” renovation.
When will DIY SOS return?
The BBC has confirmed that the regular DIY SOS series will be rested in 2027, with DIY SOS Rebuilt My Life planned as a more cost-effective alternative.
The corporation has not announced a return date for the original format.
DIY SOS is available on BBC iPlayer, with new episodes of the current series airing weekly on BBC One.
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