TV tragedy
Escape to the Country heartbreak as buyer dies just three years after finding dream home on BBC show
Denise Nurse went to visit the home in which Neil had renovated with his wife
ESCAPE to the Country has been hit by a tragic death after one of the show's buyers sadly died just three years on from the show.
The awful news was revealed on the show's spin-off series, I Escaped to the Country.
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In the programme, hosts Denise Nurse and Alistair Appleton, re-visit faces from years gone by on the BBC property search.
However, as Denise took a trip to North Wales to catch-up with some old buyers she was left distraught to hear of the passing of a popular show star.
In 2018, Angela and her husband Neil went on a tour of properties around North Wales on the show alongside TV host Jonnie Irwin, who is now facing his own devastating health battle.
During this week's re-visit, the BBC aired clips of their time on the show with Jonnie as they viewed a number of homes.
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Although none ended up being suitable, within months of finishing filming the show, they managed to snap up their dream property.
Sadly, Neil died after just three years of living there.
Denise took the widow a bunch of flowers as she visited the home they had once shared together.
Angela confirmed to Denise that her husband had passed after a period of "deteriorating health".
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A crestfallen Denise said: "I am so sorry for your loss.
"This was a big move for you and Neil. This is cosy, this is one of the things Neil was looking for."
Angela admitted that she and Neil managed to renovate the kitchen together to achieve their ultimate cooking space but Neil then became too ill to continue with the rest of their plans.
Recalling their time on the show and Neil's health battle, Angela said to Denise: "Unfortunately, after we'd been here about two-and-a-half years, I lost Neil, his health deteriorated and I lost him, and it was hard after that, I couldn't plan things, it was like my brain had fried.
"But we'd planned to do the bathroom and one day after I'd got into the shower and the door fell off for the umpteenth time, I thought, 'That's it, I've had enough, I'm going to do this bathroom!', and I was so pleased, I didn't think I could plan anything like that, so I was really pleased with it when it was finished.
"When we went out and looked around the town and saw things that were beautiful along the riverside walk we thought, 'Oh this is lovely' and Neil being by the railway - he was in his element."
With Neil's death having knocked her for six, Angela admitted she struggled to enjoy the house in the immediate aftermath but soon decided to get a pet pooch as she sought to enjoy the home that she and Neil loved once again.
An emotional Angela said: "When he died, It was awful, the smallest decision, like whether to have tea or coffee suddenly became this huge decision, and it was so difficult and that was when I decided to get a dog because I wasn't leaving the house and I knew that wasn't good for me.
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"I wasn't really seeing anyone, so that's when I got Teddy. He was very good, he got me out and about, and he got me walking when I wouldn't have bothered."
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I Escaped to the Country is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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