‘Everyone is gutted’: Davina McCall ‘forced to quit as presenter on Changing Rooms reboot’

Davina McCall has reportedly stepped down from her presenting gig on the reboot of Changing Rooms as the upcoming filming dates conflict with her current work commitments. 

The Masked Singer judge, 53, was expected to host the Channel 4 show with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, it was announced last year. 

But after the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc with her schedule and pushed back production dates twice, she can longer commit to the new series. 

An insider told The Sun on Sunday: ‘Davina was so excited to be part of the reboot but with the changing production schedule, it has become a nightmare.

‘Filming was supposed to take place at the end of last year but it got moved until earlier this year. And now it’s been pushed back again.

‘The lockdown and pandemic have played havoc with the schedule and sadly Davina has said she won’t be able to commit. It’s the last thing anyone wanted but she is so busy with other filming commitments.

‘Everyone on Changing Rooms is gutted as getting Davina on board was a huge coup for the reboot.’ 

Making a comeback: The Masked Singer judge, 53, was expected to host the Channel 4 show with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, it was announced last year

MailOnline have contacted Davina’s reps for comment.

Laurence, 56, featured on the programme on BBC from 1996 to 2004 which saw neighbours switch keys to give each other’s rooms the ultimate makeover.   

It was confirmed in December that the iconic interior design show would be making a return to screens after a 16-year break, switching over to Channel 4.   

Speaking of delays to filming due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, an insider told the publication that month: ‘It was all storming ahead and filming was due to start on the new version in the coming weeks. But Covid has now completely scuppered that.

‘There are some bits they can work on but much of the filming has had to be pushed back — you can’t just descend on someone’s home right in the middle of the lockdown.

Whoops: But after the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc with her schedule and pushed back the production dates twice, she can longer commit to the new series

‘The safety of the cast and crew is most important for Channel 4 and, while some of it can be put together in a safe environment, the bulk of the filming just cannot happen at the moment.’ 

Former Changing Rooms presenter Carol Smillie hinted that she’d be open to returning to the series, following a resurgence in DIY in recent months.  

Carol, now 58, presented the hugely popular show from 1996 until 2003, while Laurence graduated from designer to host until the programme’s end.

However, he admitted producers had to ‘coax’ him back to the show after over a decade off-screen.  

Laurence said: ‘It’s taken quite a lot of coaxing to get me under the Changing Rooms banner once more, but nothing like as much coaxing as it’s going to take to squeeze those leather trousers back on.’ 

Original: Former Changing Rooms presenter Carol Smillie hinted last year that she’d be open to returning to the series, following a resurgence in DIY in recent months