Kevin McCloud

Kevin McCloud is a designer, broadcaster and author, whose long-running series Grand Designs is one of Channel Four’s most popular programmes. His latest TV project is Demolition (C4), a four-part exploration of Britain’s least loved buildings.

Kevin combines his broadcasting work with running a product design practice. He has designed lighting for Ely Cathedral, Edinburgh Castle, the Savoy and Dorchester hotels and many other great European buildings. His passion for colour led him to write the 2003 book, Choosing Colours, and to create a new paint range, called Elements of Colour, in collaboration with Fired Earth.

After studying history of art and architecture at Cambridge University, Kevin worked as a theatre designer, and went on to supervise the design and restoration of Harrods food halls in 1985. In 1987, he founded his own bespoke lighting design and manufacturing business. His broadcasting career began with appearances on BBC-2’s Home Front in 1997, leading to the first series of C4’s Grand Designs in 2000. Grand Designs, which follows new build projects through the various stages - architectural and emotional - from foundations to finished glory, is now in its fifth series, and filming will shortly begin on the sixth. Kevin has also been filming over the last year for Regeneration: The Castleford Project (working title), which follows the architectural renewal of a Yorkshire industrial town, and will be transmitted on C4 in 2006/7.

Kevin’s passion for architecture and design have made him the natural host of Channel 4’s annual coverage of The Sterling Prize. He is editor-at-large of Grand Designs Magazine and writes about design for The Sunday Times. His books include Kevin McCloud’s Decorating Book (1990), Kevin McCloud’s Lighting Book (1995), Grand Designs (2000) and Grand Designs Abroad (2004).

His design portfolio currently includes working with Debenhams on a range of tableware, accessories and lighting, and he is also collaborating with Heal’s on a range of lighting and other products.

Kevin is a keen building conservationist and campaigner for sustainable and environmentally-friendly design; he is a 125 patron of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and actively campaigns in support of the WWF’s strategy for sustainable building in the developed world. . He is a patron of Somerset Arts, and a long-standing judge for several design competitions. He recently launched Place, a range of ethically traded furniture and homewares featuring the work of new British designers.