Room To Improve star Claire Irwin says working with Dermot Bannon can be “challenging” and teased plenty of bust ups over budgets this season.
The popular show returns this weekend with a series that has been three years in the making, due to the pandemic.
Donegal native Claire, who made her TV debut on the show in 2019, is back on board as the quantity surveyor.
She said it’s a job that often requires her to “reign in” the show’s star architect when he gets carried away with unrealistic ideas.
Claire told the Irish Daily Mirror: “Ah it can be very, very challenging. We have our moments now, don’t get me wrong.
“You know Dermot is full of bright ideas and he just wants the best for the home owner and for the finished house, but sometimes he just doesn’t have the same regard that I would have for the budget.
“So I just have to reign him in when those occasions happen, which is frequent enough. But then we get back in line, we agree this is what we are doing.
“We have our budgets for X, Y and Z. And then there is curve balls again and more excitement from Dermot. So Dermot is a challenge to manage also.”
But she said the challenge is a credit to his commitment to a project and a reflection of how invested the passionate celebrity home designer becomes in every job.
She added: “He is great to work with and he is very hands on and involved in every aspect of the build. Down to light fittings, curtains, blinds, tiles and kitchen designs.
“But he really digs in and gets involved in a lot of the smaller details.
“He spends an awful lot of time on each client. And it pays off at the end.”
The Burnfoot native, who splits her time between Donegal and Dublin, explained what it was like joining the show.
She admitted: “At the beginning, the first day or two it was a bit daunting.
“You are conscious the cameras are there and following you but you get used to it very quickly. Surprisingly quickly.
“There is a transition period getting to know everyone but Dermot is very easy to get on with.
“We keep in touch with each other really well with WhatsApp groups and video meetings and you soon get to know people quite quickly.”
* Room To Improve returns tomorrow on RTE One at 9.30pm.
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