Dick and Angel Strawbridge’s airs awkward flashback

Dick and Angel Strawbridge have returned to TV with a new show following a bitter feud with the producers of their former series Escape To The Chateau. 

Last year the couple, who found fame as cameras followed them renovating their sprawling French home, were engulfed in a bullying scandal which led to Channel 4 cutting ties after an independent investigation into their conduct.

Despite this their spin-off was already in the works and the new show has now hit screens and sees the pair exploring France away from the chateau in Dick and Angel’s Secret France. 

The opening credits shows flashbacks of Dick, 63, and Angel, 45, as they got to grips with the huge challenge of renovating the 45-room property, with the voice over describing them as an ‘intrepid British couple’. 

Looking through a huge folder of paper work in one awkward clip while touring the derelict chateau after splashing out on it, Dick told the camera grimly: ‘200 plus pages of reasons not to buy the house’.   

Nevertheless fans were delighted to see the couple back on screens and quickly took to X, formerly Twitter. 

Writing: ‘So good to see Angel and Dick Strawbridge back on screens!’: Time for the brilliant Dick and Angel on C4′: ‘Will be watching as always Dick! Sending love to you all from the UK’: ‘Ready and waiting Dick, really enjoyed last week!’.

In May 2023, sources claimed Two Rivers Media, the company that produces Escape To The Chateau, raised concerns about the presenting duo, per Deadline.

A source said at the time: ‘There has been a deteriorating relationship between Two Rivers and Dick and Angel’s Chateau TV for various reasons and it all came to a head.’

‘People who try to remote manage them from the UK, that doesn’t work, or people who come into their house and boss them around, that doesn’t work either,’ the source added.

‘Producers turn them into this perfect, brilliant, funny couple, they’re that on camera, but that’s about it.’

Sources close to the couple told MailOnline that their behaviour on set was nothing like their ‘gorgeous’ on screen personas.

A source said: ‘Dick and Angel come across on screen as the most gorgeous and lovely couple, literally like butter wouldn’t melt, but they’re not like that off screen.

‘It’s a full-on show, production is with them at the chateau for weeks so they can’t hide their real characters – they can’t turn it on for two hours of recording and then not go back to their real persona.

‘They’re just spiky and volatile people and, as you can imagine, that’s a nightmare to work with.’ 

Concerns by the show’s producers were laid bare after a filthy-mouthed rant by Angel saw her questioning producers about a delay to her schedule, before accusing someone of posting images on Instagram of a man who had a likeness to her husband, Dick.

She said: ‘Who is that inspired by when you’re f*****g working at the chateau? Just tell me that and then you can f*****g leave and this is me f*****g angry because I think you’re a f****d up little c**t.

‘Do not work in this chateau and then post dark, weird pictures that I find quite insulting, and do not smirk. You know what, you can just f**k off.’

The clip – which dated from 2021 and was recorded during one of the first four series of Escape To The Chateau – was obtained by Deadline in May 2023. 

Earlier in the audio, Angel can be heard saying her husband Dick talked to people like ‘s**t,’ to which a producer replied: ‘And I don’t like that either.’  

After the audio emerged, Angel and Dick took to Instagram to pay tribute to fans of the show, adding their future ‘truly could not look more exciting’ despite severing ties with Channel 4.

They wrote: ‘Thank you for inviting us into your living rooms. You have watched our children grow up and shared our adventures.

‘It was a Strawbridge Family decision early last year to conclude Escape to the Chateau, but we have loved every moment and, despite the many challenges, we refused to give up on our dream, and in doing so have filled the chateau with love and laughter, and, most importantly, have created the most wonderful home for our family.

‘There are two sides to every story and from the incredible support we have received, most of you know that.

‘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.’