‘Amazing’ Nick Knowles leaves DIY SOS fans in tears of joy after transforming the home of an ill teenager
NICK Knowles was hailed as "incredible" and "inspiring" after his work to transform a sickly teenager's home on DIY SOS meant she was no longer confined to hospital and could finally be reunited with her family.
Emotional viewers even went as far as to call for the TV star to be granted an MBE for his role on the popular weeknight programme.
Wednesday night saw the return of DIY SOS' latest series on BBC One, with fans almost immediately left reaching for their tissues after hearing the story of Antonia Payne Chenye and her battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
This causes her joints to frequently dislocate and she is unable to eat normally - meaning her past few months were restricted to a hospital bed.
After hearing of her plight, Nick and his team of trusty builders took charge to re-vamp the house entrance, bedroom and living spaces to accommodate her wheelchair, a sterile space for medication and oxygen points.
Nick - whose divorce from ex wife Jessica Knowles was recently confirmed - enlisted the help of carpenter Mark Millar, builder Julian Perryman, plasterer Chris Frediani and electrician Billy Byrne — as well as home style consultant Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and hundreds of volunteer builders from Worcester.
After being given the all-clear to leave hospital and wheeling into the re-designed property for the first time Antonia gushed: "I absolutely love it.
"It's absolutely perfect."
She candidly added: "You have given me a new chance at life.
"I am so grateful.
"You have changed my life."
Fans immediately took to Twitter to reveal how much the episode had touched them - with many branding it the best show on TV.
One directly praised Nick and wrote: tonight - what local communities can do when they come together to help those in need Well done while another tagged him and added: "DIY SoS always knows how to pull it off,your bloody amazing guys and girls."
Another said they were praising Nick because he usually had "little recognition" for the impact of his show.
A telly fan posted: "Well done a truly beautiful thing you did for Antonia, tissue time again."
Another enthused: "Puts everything into perspective, beautiful Antonia, her Mum & brother top job as ever you & your team are amazing" and one urged him to "keep changing lives for the better."
A besotted fan simply branded him a "honey".
An eagle-eyed fan posted: "DIY SOS is the best programme on TV & is the perfect man for the job, professional but with the most brilliant empathy."
One even went as far as to say: "Nick Knowles DIY Really should be recognised for his devotion ie an MBE please."
Meanwhile another directly messaged Nick to say: "Just watched your last diysos you lot are hero's how you give new life's to the people who need it most well done sir."
During the hour-long show, Nick and his team built a special bedroom for Antonia, featuring a sterile space for medical procedures.
They’re also making her a specially adapted bathroom, including a remote-control shower, and a space where she can hang out with friends and family, as well as renovating her home so it’s wheelchair accessible.
Before she developed EDS, Antonia enjoyed gymnastics and cheerleading, but she now needs a special wheelchair as simply standing up could make her faint (gravity is her “worst enemy”, says Antonia).
The episode was in fact filmed in summer 2015, after Nick Knowles and his team initially struggled to find local tradespeople and suppliers to support their project: adapting Antonia’s home so she could leave hospital and have more independence.
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Meanwhile it is Nick's personal life which has recently been in the spotlight.
His estranged wife and mum to his son Eddie, Jessica, appeared on This Morning on Tuesday to open up about her traumatic 2016, which saw her split from the DIY SOS presenter, 54, and suffer a miscarriage just months before being diagnosed with cancer.
Brave Jessica told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield that the pair split after a move to Spain created a rift in their relationship, but they are now completely “amicable.”
“People are confused by how well we get on. And the truth is we get a long really well, as at the end of the day we can say we tried really hard.
“More date nights, counselling, less time together, more time together. and when you look at each other at the end of the day when you know you gave it your all there’s no anger left there, no animosity.”