BELOVED renovation series Homes Under the Hammer returned to screens with a brand new episode – but viewers got more than they bargained for.
In Monday’s episode, viewers saw expectant parents Jess and Chris undertook an extensive renovation, but their project ended in a proposal.
Presenter Martin Roberts met with Chris after he’d purchased the expansive countryside property to discuss his makeover plans.
Martin immediately fell in love with their Shropshire cottage but acknowledged that the couple had a lot of work to do if they wanted it to be ready in time for Jess’ due date in six months’ time.
“It’s a beautiful house with all the character of it and the sandstone and the big rocky outcrop at the back,” the property show host gushed, before asking about the couple’s timeline.
Chris planned to make this a feature with a new full-length extension keeping an industrial look in line with the property’s farm land.
Being realistic, the homeowner said he expected the renovations to take 12 months so they wouldn’t be meeting their deadline.
However, when Martin returned 19 months later, he learned that 12 months had also been too ambitious.
Jess revealed that Chris had had a serious accident in the middle of their renovation, which resulted in him being hospitalised for a month. He was out of action for several more months, which caused around a six-month delay on the property.
During that time, Jess and Chris also welcomed their daughter, Maddie.
But despite the chaos of their ambitious property makeover and having a newborn, Jess and Chris stuck together and kept working on to make the house their forever home.
They were happier than ever when the interior was finally completed — and they made TV show history with the way they decided to celebrate their huge accomplishment.
Standing in their spotless kitchen, Chris got down on bended knee and popped the question to Jess.
“I want you to marry me, will you marry me?” he asks to which Jess excitedly replies “yes, of course!”
“Well, that’s a first for Hammer!” Martin exclaims in a voiceover as the happy couple celebrated their engagement with Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran playing in the background.
Fans flocked to X, formerly Twitter, to discuss the exciting TV moment.
“There’s just been a proposal on Homes Under the Hammer! I’ve not been this proud to be British since London 2012,” one viewer exclaimed.
“What, so adorable!” commented another.
While a third joked: “With this house I thee wed.”
Jess and Chris have spent a total of £447,000 on their property to date with another year of work ahead, including some landscape gardening, to get it to a fully finished standard.
However, their investment has already paid off, with the property now valued at between £750,000 to £800,000.
