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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Kate Lally

Channel 4 A Place in the Sun: Who pays for flights and is it a free holiday?

A Place in the Sun sees potential buyers search for their perfect home, accompanied by a property expert and a camera crew.

Usually filmed in idyllic locations, a number of hosts take turns to show property hunters around apartments, duplexes and villas. These hosts also visit a luxury property during the programme, with these often being way out of most people's budgets.

The Channel 4 show is filmed for a staggering 48 weeks out of the year, with around 120 episodes filmed in any twelve months. Regular destinations include Spain, Italy and France.

READ MORE: A Place in the Sun 'fail' as property viewing is 'gatecrashed'

While the show has built an avid following, many watching at home often ask whether those who appear have their flights and accommodation paid for, and whether it is a "free holiday".

The programme's managing director Andy Bridge said: "Occasionally I see comments on social media where people have watched an episode and somebody hasn't bought, and the sort of criticism of 'were they serious?' but the truth is there's an awful lot of work and preparation has gone on to qualify those people as serious buyers, it just hasn't happened to work out in that particular week".

Speaking about the filming process, Lydia Bradley continued: "Filming starts about 8.30am, until about 5pm. Often in 30C, 35C heat, it's a long day. It's not a full week, there are a couple of afternoons that the house hunters will take off while the crew do area shots, things like that, but it is hard.

"You're not there to lie on a beach and swim in a pool, we're on a pretty tight schedule." Co-producer Siobhan O'Gorman said: "We look after people pretty well, but one guy [who was due to appear on the show] was upset when he got his flight tickets and they weren't business class, and he wasn't staying in a five star hotel. Well, we have a Channel 4 daytime budget".

To find out more about applying to be on A Place in the Sun, click here

A Place in the Sun airs weekdays at 3pm on Channel 4 and All 4

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