Escape to the Chateau was once our go-to show to wind down and relax as we followed married couple Dick and Angel Strawbridge's renovations on their Chateau-de-la-Motte Husson home in the town of Martigné-sur-Mayenne in France. However, recent revelations have confirmed that things were not quite so serene behind-the-scenes. So what exactly happened?
In May, it was confirmed that Channel 4 officially cut ties with Dick and Angel. According to Deadline, the decision was made following an independent investigation into the couple's conduct on the show. It was reported that concerns were initially raised by Two Rivers Media – the production company behind the Escape to the Chateau franchise.
It continued to say that the couple had been clashing with producers, with an independent HR professional conducting an investigation which included interviewing producers and crew members.
In an official statement, a Channel 4 spokesperson said: "Following a review, we have taken the decision not to work with Dick and Angel on any new productions in the future." Two Rivers released their own statement that read: "We can confirm that we will no longer work with Dick and Angel and cannot comment further at the moment."
© Photo: RexSpeaking about their policies, they added: "Channel 4 is taking an active role in challenging unacceptable behaviour in our industry. Following a review of our processes in 2021 we have made it easier to raise complaints both formally and informally.
"We require all our production partners to follow our Supplier Code of Conduct and when concerns are raised with us, they will be taken seriously and action will happen to ensure they are investigated and addressed appropriately. There is always more to do and alongside our suppliers we are committed to building safe, inclusive and professional working environments."
© Photo: Channel 4Angel Strawbridge’s audio recording leak
In late May, an audio recording where Angel can be heard using offensive language to a crew member was leaked to the media. Deadline originally shared the recording, where Angel can be heard saying: "I went onto your Instagram and saw some of the pictures that you have put up. There are some on there... what about the one with the chef with the big moustache and the big shoulders? Who is that inspired by when you're [expletive] working at the chateau? Just tell me that and then you can [expletive] leave and this is me [expletive] angry because I think you're a [expletive] up little [expletive] actually. This is me angry. I just wanted to know where you both were."
© Photo: RexDick and Angel Strawberry’s response
Following the recording leak, the couple released a joint statement via Instagram that read: "It was a Strawbridge Family decision early last year to conclude Escape To The Chateau. We know there are lots of stories in the press right now. It’s not worth us even trying to comment or give context, because anything can be made into a good headline. We understand. There are two sides to every story and from the incredible support we have received, most of you know that.
© Photo: Rex"We are proud of who we are, and we feel we must do what we believe to be correct, that is in fact what kept Escape to the Chateau unique, and whilst we have indeed parted ways with Channel 4, we are hugely grateful to them and their teams for their support and creativity over the years. The future truly could not look more exciting and we thank you for your continued love and support."
Previous controversy on Escape to the Chateau
Dick and Angel were accused of being "aggressive and abusive" in a report by The Times, with Angel later telling The Telegraph: "If you asked every single person on our team, they would all say that Dick is completely chivalrous. He will always be that person opening doors, helping people, and if anyone upsets me, he will be the first person to take control of the situation. He is very protective."
© Photo: InstagramShe continued: "One of them, the main one we think, we only met for a couple of hours. The people who were here for any length of time were family; the kids knew them and we really opened up our world to them, so you can imagine that it felt very sad to read a lot of that stuff."
What’s next for Dick and Angel Strawbridge?
According to the MailOnline, the pair have applied to close their castle company Chateau-de-la-Motte Husson Limited, and have handed over control of Chateau Television Limited to an accountant-ran firm, Da2AD Limited. On their website, events are now marked 'unavailable', so what’s next for the family?
© Photo: InstagramThe pair recently confirmed that they would be going on a UK tour, and added that they were looking forward to setting "the record straight". The post reads: "We are delighted to announce our all-new UK tour: Forever Home (avec le nitty gritty)!! It’s been nearly a year in the planning and we simply could not wait to tell you that we are hitting the road for our biggest-ever theatre tour!
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"Taking our family on the road has been an honour and a complete pleasure. Our first theatre tour in 2020; Dare To Do It, was a complete unknown. It was humbling, not only for the number of you that came to see us, but for the stories you told us when we had a chance to have a hug afterwards!
© Photo: Instagram"In the new Tour, we explore Why & How we dared to do it, delve deep into our classic myth-busting and click-bait segment (always a favourite of ours, as we get to set the record straight!). It will be an interactive evening of fun and games, especially now we can have you back on stage!!
"We simply can’t wait, and thankfully this time we'll get to hug after the show during the 'meet and greet’. If you came to our first tour, you’ll know that we hang around until we say hello to everyone, or we are chucked out of the theatre!"
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