Strictly stars go house hunting in Cheshire on Escape to the Country

Professional dancers Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara featured in the first series of Celebrity Escape to the Country.

With the arrival of their first child this year, the couple moved up north but have until now been in a rented property.

As such, they joined host Sonali Shah to find their new permanent family home.

They went out looking for a detached property with a contemporary interior, open-plan kitchen, up to four bedrooms and a large garden, with a budget of £700,000 to £900,000,

To discuss their plans in more detail, they met up with the show’s host at “their local” - The Grove in Wilmslow.

Alijaz said: “I love the look of the old houses but the last three or four places we have lived have been new builds.

“Where I’m from, because my dad built our home when I was a little baby, I always grew up somewhere that my parents had a really strong emotional connection to.”

The mystery house near Knutsford (Image: BBC iPlayer)

After viewing properties in Bollington and Congleton, it was time for the mystery house near Knutsford.

Sonali said: “The pretty high street has a scattering of black and white timber buildings but three miles away,  for our grand finale, I have got a more contemporary offering waiting in the wings

“Having got to know Janette and Alijaz a little bit more I am so excited about this because I think this mystery house has just the right amount of character and they are going to be so wowed by the setting I’m hoping they are not going to notice it’s semi-detached.”

The property dates back to the Queen’s Coronation in 1953 but has undergone an extensive refurbishment inside.

The four-bed cottage was on the market at £770,000, with the couple clearly impressed by what they saw.

Reflecting on their time on the show, Alijaz said: “The mystery house was the one we liked the most.

“I always thought that moving to the countryside and having a detached home is a must but its not because you can find those beautiful properties that are still so private and secluded.

“If I didn’t see that mystery house, I would never think that so thank you so much.”

After presenting Janette with a pair of sparkly wellies, Sonali brought the show to a close, saying: “Janette and Alijaz’s busy working lives take them across country and around the world so this move isn’t just about a place in which to raise a family.

“They need to find somewhere to escape to, somewhere comforting, and I know they’re just at the beginning of this journey but by introducing them to the range of properties on offer, by opening their eyes, I think we’ve set them on the right path.”