Celebrity Escape to the Country fans complain over Chesney Hawkes 'wasting time' in Christmas special
Viewers claimed he had 'no intention' of buying a propertyChesney Hawkes was the latest famous face to swap city life for the countryside on Celebrity Escape to the Country last night (December 30). But judging by the reaction online, viewers at home weren’t exactly won over.
The One and Only singer appeared on the BBC show alongside his wife, Kristina, with the couple armed with a sizeable budget of £1.3 million. With that in mind, their wish list was suitably ambitious, including four double bedrooms, outdoor space for their dogs and enough room to accommodate a recording studio.
However, it quickly became clear that Chesney had some firm dealbreakers. The Celebrity Big Brother star admitted early on that he wasn’t keen on exposed beams. He also revealed that traditional cottages weren’t really his thing. Instead, the couple were hoping to find a property that felt modern in size and layout, while still retaining a more classic exterior.
Chesney Hawkes’ Escape to the Country journey
Over the course of the episode, Chesney and Kristina were shown a range of homes that the singer himself described as “eclectic”.
Their search began in the Gloucestershire village of Edge before moving on to Ashton Keynes in north Wiltshire. From there, they headed to Chalford Hill, with one final viewing taking place in Sevenhampton at a property dating all the way back to the 1600s.
Away from the house hunting, the episode also leaned into Chesney’s musical past. Viewers saw him teaching presenter Jules Hudson how to play the guitar, improvising a song, answering trivia questions themed around 1991 and taking part in a light-hearted singing quiz alongside his wife.
Despite enjoying several aspects of the search, the couple ultimately decided not to make an offer. While they were particularly taken with the third property – a five-bedroom house in Chalford Hill – Chesney and Kristina confirmed they would be continuing their search elsewhere.
Viewers react to Chesney’s episode
That outcome didn’t sit well with many watching at home. They took to X to vent their frustration with the celebrity spin-off.
“It’s a waste of time them looking at these places really, isn’t it?” one viewer complained. They added: “And how many more questions about 1991?”
Another was even more scathing, claiming the show had become “rich [bleep]s looking around houses they have no intention of buying, while getting an appearance fee paid by the general public”.
A third echoed the sentiment, writing: “What is the point of the ‘celebrity’ version? Just Z-listers looking around houses. No intention of buying anything. Total waste of money.”
Elsewhere, a fourth viewer fumed: “[Bleep] like Escape to the Country for celebs who have no intention of buying these houses, no doubt paid a fee to participate and yet my TV licence has paid for a Christmas schedule full of repeats.”
Others questioned the logic behind the couple’s preferences altogether. “Why would you hate cottages and beams but then choose to move to the Cotswolds?” one asked. “The place is all about cottages!”
Aside from the complaints, another viewer praised the star on his youthful looks. Looking past the celebrity special, they penned: “Chesney Hawkes just doesn’t get any older!”
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