Escape to the Chateau's Dick and Angel Strawbridge set record straight on Channel 4 axe

Dick and Angel Strawbridge couldn't be more settled in their forever home. The couple's efforts to restore a derelict 19th century chateau in France captured the hearts of fans who fell in love with hit Channel 4 show, Escape to the Chateau.

The two decided to step away from the programme after nine series in 2022 so children, Arthur, 11, and Dorothy, 10, could grow up without the constant presence of camera crews in their life. However, Dick and Angel's story continues as they still juggle their wedding and events business with transforming their family home.

They are going back on the road this year to give fans an insight into life at the fairytale castle in Pays de la Loire since the programme ended. The tour arrives at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on October 12 and the couple can't wait to return to a city they have such fond memories of.

Dick told the ECHO in an exclusive interview: "[Liverpudlians are] bigger than big. I am Northern Irish. We come from a community where everybody speaks, everybody listens and everybody joins in at the same time. There's that much energy in the room and that's exactly what Liverpool is like as well."

Fans will have the opportunity to meet the reality TV stars, who have been married since 2015, after the show and Angela said she always loves the chance to interact with Scousers. The 46-year-old, who hails from East London, told the ECHO: "One of the best hen parties I ever did was with about 30 Liverpudlian ladies. They came down and I did a big tea party for them."

However, Angel laughed as she revealed she needed to get to grips with one aspect of Liverpudlian culture. She said: "I was doing their vintage make up and they asked 'Can I have a Scousebrow?'

"I was like, 'what's a Scousebrow' because I'm all about the baguette brow. So I did these really thick, wonderful eyebrows. I did it on 30 of the girls and I just remember they were so warm and so energetic. They were so real and it was just absolutely brilliant. We love Liverpool. What's not to love about it?"

The performance is one of 33 dates on the UK tour and the family love the chance to return to the country. However, the two admitted there are no plans to return to the UK on a full time basis and were baffled by reports suggesting they had decided to sell the Chateau De La Motte Husson they had worked so hard to renovate.

Dick said: "We were sat in bed and we read the headlines that we sold the chateau. I'm looking at Angela and Angela is looking at me. It's not like we were divorced or moved to Australia."

Angela added: "We're here, we are in France. This is completely our forever home. This is where we have invested everything. It's the family home, it's our business. We've got a lot of friends, a lot of family, a lot of the chateau community based in the UK so when we come home, it's really nice to see everybody."

The two also set the record straight on their current situation with Channel 4. The broadcaster issued a statement in May last year to announce it would no longer be working with the couple after a leaked audio emerged of Angel aiming a rant at one of the show's producers.

However, the two have since made their comeback to Channel 4 with show, Secret France, and they insist there was never a fallout with the broadcaster. Dick said: "We haven't said a single thing. What we did is we completed what we said we were going to complete and we told everyone that it was the end [of Escape to the Chateau].

"The end of Escape to the Chateau had been planned and that was six months before anything happened so there was no fallout." The retired army officer added: "We're talking about 7/8 years ago when Angela had that thing with the person that made the news. It was ancient history."

Angel agreed as she said: "There was no fallout with Channel 4. There were millions of different stories and people were making up their own truths. There was a number of prongs that people put together to create a new truth.

"We were too busy starting our wedding season and just being with the children. Once you start going and saying 'this is wrong, this is the truth', the story just gets bigger. What we did is we locked down, concentrated on our wonderful weddings and our wonderful family and we just continued doing what we do."

Dick said he now considers the incident as in the past and the family is firmly looking towards the future. The 64-year-old added: "It's the easiest thing to say nothing and just get on. I know people would like more comments and stuff but there is nothing to say. We did what we said we were going to do and the chateau now is going from strength to strength."

The family remain busier than ever as they are about to release a new book and the next season of their podcast, in addition to going out on the road. However, the show that earned them their loyal fanbase still remains close to their heart and they didn't rule out a special episode of Escape to the Chateau at some point in the future.

Angel said: "Having the cameras here for a couple of weeks and having a Christmas special. In the future, we would definitely be open to that when the time is right."

Dick said: "[Ending the show] felt the right thing to do. A couple of years on, in hindsight, we absolutely made the right decision, but we haven't taken [Arthur and Dorothy] out of the media world.

"They're still in our books, they're on our tour. It's not's the same as having a camera around all the time and worrying what people are saying. This is us just being a family."

The two said the authentic insight into their family life is what made the show connect so strongly with fans. Dick described the opportunities that Escape to the Chateau has opened up as a "privilege" and is particularly proud of the benefits it has brought for Arthur and Dorothy.

The two children are bilingual and have had the chance to travel across the world because of the show. However, Angel said Escape to the Chateau will only get more special as time goes by when Arthur and Dorothy can truly reap the rewards of having so many treasured family moments caught on film.

She added: "We've got a lovely home movie and documentary of our lives. My dad, when we were growing up, had a Cine 8 attached to his arm and we kind of joked around with him at the time. But when we were grown up - and we got the chance to look back and see these pictures of your grandparents, great grandparents, you as babies. Those memories will have you in tears.

"Arthur and Dorothy haven't seen that much of Escape to the Chateau because whenever it would come on TV, we're an hour ahead, so it was always quite late for them. When it will be really special is in 20 years when they are showing their children and that's when it's really going to shine."

Dick and Angel: Forever Home arrives at the Philharmonic Hall on October 12. You can find out further details on how to get tickets here