Dick and Angel Strawbridge have opened up about the famous person who inspired them as they navigated their long-running series, Escape To The Chateau coming to an end.
Last year, the married couple told fans of the hit Channel 4 renovation show that it would finish up after its ninth season, with the final episode airing in December.
Months later in May, Channel 4 announced that its professional relationship with Dick and Angel had ended altogether following a “review”.
Now, the couple have candidly reflected on the headlines from earlier this year, and said they took inspiration from The Queen and adopted the Royal Family’s mindset when faced with the wave of attention.
On Lorraine, Angel told host Christine Lampard: “The Queen said ‘Never complain, never explain’ and that was the best way because for us none of it made sense as we had made that family decision a long time ago. It had come to its natural end.”
Her husband Dick explained: ”It’s interesting because we were on Lorraine before Christmas explaining the end of the nine series.
“As a family, we made a decision last year that it was going to be the finale of Escape To The Chateau. We told everybody at the beginning of the year, I think that was two years ago now. Everybody knew it was finishing.”
Dick also commented on their decision not to comment on the news, other than release a joint statement on their Instagram. He continued: “When people started talking about the end of what we were doing, it wasn’t news.
“It was something that happened a long time in the past. We made the decision to just not get involved in any of the conversations.”
The couple said they decided it was the right time to bring the series to a close, now their children are older.
Dick said: “When they were little they just didn’t understand what was going on. Now it’s a very different world we are living in.”
Following Channel 4′s review into Dick and Angel, Escape To The Chateau’s production company, Two Rivers Media also announced that they “will no longer work with Dick and Angel and cannot comment further at the moment”.
At the time, the couple responded in a statement on social media, saying: “It’s not worth us even trying to comment or give context, because anything can be made into a good headline. We understand.
“There are two sides to every story and from the incredible support we have received, most of you know that.”
Dick and Angel rose to fame on the renovation show in 2016, before hosting a variety of spin-off shows for Channel 4 such as Escape To The Chateau DIY and Escape to the Chateau: Secret France.
The couple are now set to front their own podcast series, entitled Dick & Angel’s Chat...eau, which drops its first episode on 1 November.
Lorraine airs weekdays at 9am on ITV1.