Nick Knowles tried to buy I’m A Celeb’s Gwrych Castle in Wales for £5 to renovate it

Nick Knowles tried to buy I’m A Celeb’s Gwrych Castle in Wales for £5 to renovate it… but withdrew when he realised he’d need £1.5m to do so

Nick Knowles tried to buy Gwrych Castle – the new setting for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – for £5.

Nick, who appeared on the show in 2018 when it was still shot in Australia, reportedly wanted to acquire the building as a renovation project for his BBC show, DIY:SOS.

The castle is 200 years old and was derelict before ITV got hold of it for I’m A Celeb 2020 – which has been forced to relocate to the Welsh countryside due to the pandemic.

Under-offer: Nick Knowles tried to buy Gwrych Castle – the new setting for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – for £5

Nick, 58, had to withdraw on realising it would cost at least £1.5 million to renovate the building.

‘Nick wanted to use the ethos of [DIY:SOS] to help bring jobs to the area and put some money into the local economy,’ a source told The Sun. ‘But the scale of the repairs needed, and the complications of Gwrych Castle being a Grade I listed building, simply made it impossible.

‘The price he offered to pay may seem ridiculously small, but it was a token offer reflecting the cash he was considering putting into rescuing a landmark in that corner of Wales.

‘In the end, the figures just didn’t add up.’

MailOnline has contacted a rep for comment. 

Relic: The castle is 200 years old and was derelict before ITV got hold of it for I'm A Celeb 2020 - which has been forced to relocate to the Welsh countryside due to the pandemic

Relic: The castle is 200 years old and was derelict before ITV got hold of it for I’m A Celeb 2020 – which has been forced to relocate to the Welsh countryside due to the pandemic

Nick had designs on turning the location into a spa hotel – an extension of his yoga retreat in the Maldives.

Gwrych Castle has been closed to the public for 33 years and fell into serious disrepair as a result.

Various proposals for it have been put forth over the years, but none have seen the light of day. 

Do it yourself! Nick, who appeared on the show in 2018 when it was still shot in Australia, reportedly wanted to acquire the building as a renovation project for his BBC show, DIY:SOS

Do it yourself! Nick, who appeared on the show in 2018 when it was still shot in Australia, reportedly wanted to acquire the building as a renovation project for his BBC show, DIY:SOS

The Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust, a group of locals, have been caring for the ruin in recent years.

ITV have spent millions on prepping the castle for I’m A Celeb 2020, which kicks off next month.

Stars rumoured to be taking part include Vernon Kay, Victoria Derbyshire and Russell Watson.

Redo: ITV have spent millions on prepping the castle for I'm A Celeb 2020, which kicks off next month

Redo: ITV have spent millions on prepping the castle for I’m A Celeb 2020, which kicks off next month

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