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FOR 21 years, Jasmine Harman has been finding Brits their dream home abroad on A Place in the Sun, and recently decided to take the plunge herself.

In an even bolder move, Jasmine and her family decided to renovate their own property on the Costa del Sol and documented it all on the Channel 4 show, Jasmine Harman’s Renovation in the Sun.

Talking to Sun Travel, Jasmine has revealed what her new life in Spain is like, and the renovation mishaps she wishes she knew sooner.

Having been advice on property since 2004., it was in October 2023that Jasmine and her family were relocated from the UK to Spain, buying a run-down villa to transform it into their dream home.

It took around one year to transform the casa, and for anyone who wants to do the same, Jasmine has some words of warning.

Jasmine said: “It’s not for the faint hearted. If anyone was considering taking on a renovation project, I’d say be prepared.

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“It’s going to be harder and more expensive than you think. There will be things that will come up that you weren’t expecting and you’ll need to leave yourself a financial and time buffer.

“We had rough figures that we were trying to stick to, but I reckon we ended up going over by around 50 per cent.”

Another huge challenge that Jasmine warned people against is living in the house whilst undergoing a renovation – especially during demolition.

Jasmine along with her husband, Jon, and their two children Joy and Albion, transformed the villa which wasn’t without its setbacks – including serious health scares.

The work however started long before the actual renovation when Jasmine and Jon had to choose exactly where to live.

For the family, Jasmine revealed that moving abroad to the Costa del Sol was also the only logical option.

She explained: “The Costa del Sol was a practical decision because we film A Place in the Sun here all year round.

“There would be no point in me moving abroad somewhere to be with my family more, which was the whole idea, and say we moved to Italy.

“When deciding whereabouts on the Costa del Sol, we chose the western side of Malaga. Then Estepona we chose mostly for the schools – I found one I thought my kids would be happy in.”

Now she and her family have been living in Estepona for some time and have really settled in.

Jasmine shared: “I love Estepona because of the vibe in the town. Where we are, the beaches are quiet all year round. It’s a lovely Spanish town – very authentic.

“Although there’s quite a big international community here, it still maintains its Spanish feel.”

As for what she loves most about her move to Spain, like most Brits would find, it’s the good weather.

In the summer season, Estepona has highs of 28C and even during the winter it can still be as mild as 17C.

Jasmine told us: “I know it’s a cliche, but the weather is so much better and more predictable and reliable.

“I had never really understood the pull of why people want to live by the sea, but I get it now. I love being this close to the sea, the mountains, and being able to see the horizon and that big, beautiful blue sky.”

Thanks to her new home being so close to the sea that they can see it from their home, Jasmine makes the most of it by taking regular dips in the ocean.

She and her children sometimes walk across the beach after school.

There are also plenty of spots for day trips from Tarifa where you can spot dolphins and whales, to Malaga City.

It’s not all sun and sand though; Jasmine is also very close to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Granada province.

Jasmine said: “For the last two years that we’ve lived here, we’ve driven to Sierra Nevada, which is a few hours away, to go for a little skiing weekend.

“We don’t have to fly there, we just chuck everything in the car.”

Jasmine Harman’s Renovation in the Sun continues on Thursday November 13, at 5 PM.

To catch up on previous episodes, head to Channel4.com.

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Holly Willoughby is poised for a dramatic return to our TV screens, following her departure from This Morning in October 2023, as she’s set to host Strictly Come Dancing

Holly Willoughby “will take over” as Strictly Come Dancing presenter, according to top media source.

The host is set for a dramatic return to our TV screens, more than two years after quitting This Morning on ITV when she became the victim of a murder plot. Gavin Plumb, the creep behind the conspiracy, was jailed for life in July and now it is thought Holly, 44, is ready to come back to broadcasting.

Peter Fincham, who was director of the BBC for two years until 2007, understands Holly will replace either Claudia Winkleman or Tess Daly, who are leaving Strictly after more than two decades associated with the programme.

Mr Fincham, who since managed ITV between 2008 and 2016, said: “My hairdresser also cuts the hair of a well-known channel controller. What’s said in Harry’s the hairdresser stays in Harry’s. But he says with great confidence that Holly Willoughby will take over.”

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The insider spoke to Richard Eden, a journalist with the Daily Mail, who wrote Holly is likely to present Strictly from the start of the next series in 2026. Tess and Claudia will depart at the end of the current series, from which actress and model Ellie Goldstein was eliminated on Saturday.

Holly was on This Morning for 14 years until her exit, which came after her long-time co-presenter Phillip Schofield resigned. Phillip, 63, had admitted that, before leaving his wife, he had carried on an extramarital affair with a young male co-worker and had lied about it to ITV’s management, his colleagues, lawyers, agents and friends and family.

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The experienced presenter was dropped by his talent agency YMU after the affair, which was not illegal, and he also stepped down from ITV completely – meaning he did not host the British Soap Awards in the following days.

Holly’s return, said to be backed with “great confidence” by the “well-known channel controller”, would come off the back of this scrutiny – albeit more than two years down the line. The bombshell claims come after sources linked comedian Alan Carr, 49, to one of the two vacant Strictly posts.

The presenter is currently impressing millions with his playful charisma on The Celebrity Traitors, on which he has reached the final five. A source had said: “He’s an old-fashioned showbiz pro who would be just perfect hosting Strictly. If he does manage to win Traitors it will be a sign to the BBC that he has the star quality to present its flagship show.”