George Clarke

I’ve had a fantastic time at clarke:desai and I’m proud of all the projects we have completed over the years, but, as you can imagine, my media work has taken me in a different direction and I now want to start a new company that isn’t just about architecture, but also covers all aspects of the design, build and property development business.

A subsequent Newsnight investigation into the alleged circumstances revealed the initial source of the report to be a live interview being given by a member of the public during the course of the fire at 10:08 on 14 June 2018 to Ryan Hooper, a Press Association reporter who Tweeted it; subsequently it was repeated by other media – The Telegraph, Evening Standard, Daily Star, MailOnline, the Independent, the BBC, and then around the globe. The investigation contacted the emergency services, which had no record of any such event, and explored the physics of a 7 kg (15 lb) weight being dropped from eight floors up, with expert opinion on the consequences of such a fall on the body of an infant, and creating a simulation using a bowling ball dropped from a multi-storey car park.

On the day of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, Clarke, a nearby resident, was filmed by a BBC Newsnight crew (interviewer David Grossman), claiming to have witnessed an act of heroism concerning a child being thrown from an eighth-floor window and being caught by a single individual:

In January 2014, Clarke became the youngest person ever to be awarded honorary membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Hon RICS). In July 2015, Clarke was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Leeds Beckett University for his contribution to the arts. In September 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Wolverhampton as a Doctor of Technology and, in December 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from Northumbria University.

In April 2012, Clarke was appointed as an independent adviser to the government to help bring thousands of empty properties back into use for families in need of stable, secure homes.

In July 2012, Clarke carried the Olympic torch through Camden after his brother-in-law Swiggy Drummond, who was the original candidate for the honour, died of cancer.

In 2011, Clarke left clarke:desai and set up a new company George Clarke + Partners, with 25 staff. At the time Clarke commented:

Clarke was on the judging panel of the Affordable Home Ownership Housing Awards in 2007.

Since 2004, he has been the main presenter for the following programmes:

Property Dreams (2004), Dream Home Abroad (2005) and Build A New Life in the Country (2005–07), all for Channel 5. The Home Show (2008—), The Restoration Man (2010 —), The Great British Property Scandal (2011), The Great British Property Scandal: Every Empty Counts (2012) and George Clarke's Amazing Spaces (2012—), all for Channel 4 and Old House New Home and Ugly House To Lovely House (also Channel 4).

Between 2001–2003, Clarke was a visiting lecturer at Newcastle University. He is currently a visiting lecturer at the Nottingham University's School for the Built Environment.

After graduating in 1995, Clarke trained and worked with FaulknerBrowns in Newcastle upon Tyne, before joining world-famous architect Sir Terry Farrell, working in both London and Hong Kong. In 1998, with partner Bobby Desai, he formed his own company, clarke:desai – clients included Simon Fuller and Jamie Oliver.

George Clarke (born 27 May 1974) is an English architect, television presenter, lecturer and writer, best known for his work on the Channel 4 programmes The Home Show, The Restoration Man and George Clarke's Amazing Spaces.

Clarke grew up with three younger sisters. He lives in Notting Hill, West London with his wife Katie Clarke and has three children from his previous marriage. Clarke has completely renovated his 1910 house, transforming the interior into a modern home, whilst restoring the exterior to its original appearance.