Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud reveals biggest secret from filming - and what you don't see

Kevin McCloud, the host of Grand Designs, has spilled the beans on what participants are paid for their appearances on the show.

The popular programme, which celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year, is known for showcasing ambitious home building projects. As Kevin prepares for Grand Designs Live, which starts today (October 2nd) and runs throughout the week, he shared some behind-the-scenes insights.

Speaking exclusively to us, Kevin revealed that participants aren't paid for their time on the show, but receive a small amount to compensate for disruptions caused by filming.

He said: "They do not get paid for being on the show. They get a very very small amount of money to cover the stop-and-start nature of filming. So when we film scenes and want half an hour quiet, which means asking every builder on site to put their tools down and go for a tea break, they get paid for that."

Kevin further explained that the intermittent breaks for filming can accumulate over time and potentially impact the building project, hence a small contribution is made to cover this inconvenience, reports Devon Live.

The stars of Grand Designs might not be pocketing a fortune, but they bag something many deem priceless - an ultra-high-quality video record of their epic home transformation.

"I think they do it because they're going to get a really high-quality home video and they're also sensible enough to realise the weight of the journey they're going on. Therefore, they want to have it documented," he explained.

"In giving them the film, we give them a truth, we give them an account of what they'll always recognise as their story. They've got to recognise themselves and recognise their story."

Kevin McCloud was speaking ahead of Grand Designs Live at NEC Birmingham, the UK’s premier home and design exhibition, taking place from 2-6 October.