'Misunderstanding!' Nick Knowles addresses DIY SOS axe after BBC row over Shreddies advert
NICK KNOWLES has spoken out for the first time over his absence from his DIY SOS show, which was caused by his appearance in an ad campaign that conflicted with his BBC role.
Nick Knowles details the struggles of DIY SOS return
Presenter Nick Knowles flouted BBC guidelines by appearing in a Shreddies advert, despite the channel's strict regulations banning TV talents from capitalising on their on-screen fame. He was axed from a special of DIY SOS after the potential conflict of interest emerged, but has now returned, citing a "misunderstanding".
That work wasn't there and I've got to provide for my family
The 59-year-old assured fans on an episode of This Morning that the conflict is "sorted now".
However he described the decision to axe him from a single show as "odd".
He had previously revealed that he'd taken the decision to don a builder's uniform for the Shreddies ad campaign as a result of financial concerns he'd had over the pandemic.
"You've gotta earn and there was a period during the pandemic where shows just weren't being made," he told The Sun.
READ NOW: Dennis Waterman spent last years ‘doing f*** all’ in Spain
"That work wasn't there and I've got to provide for my family - and an opportunity came up."
Talking on This Morning to Dermot O' Leary and Alison Hammond, the star confirmed that he was back in action.
"It was a bit odd [that I was dropped] but I knew that it was only for the one show," Nick explained, adding that there had simply been a "misunderstanding".
The blip followed 23 years of continuous work for the BBC.
However Nick clearly harbours no hard feelings for his replacement, Rhod Gilbert.
"Then Rhod came in and Rhod is such a lovely lad and he got emotionally involved with the whole story," he exclaimed.
"I thought he did a great job."
For his part, Rhod had been thrilled at the opportunity to take on his Children In Need project on the show, quipping, "My vis is high and my hat is hard, so bring it on."
He had spoken enthusiastically of the "great honour" he would experience while stepping into the presenter's "enormous steel toe-capped boots".
Nick had only been required to step down from his BBC role until his Shreddies publicity had concluded.
However he had previously expressed his regret about taking on the breakfast cereal campaign during an interview with The Sun.
"Obviously what I regret is the confusion that arose around it," he clarified.
"I certainly would not have chosen to have upset the BBC or upset the programme in any way."
Meanwhile Nick recently took the opportunity to quit the showbiz circuit, due to becoming disillusioned with "unfriendly" fellow TV stars.
"I would go to events and there would be schoolkids asking for autographs," he recalled to The Mirror of his history at high profile gatherings.
"A load of people from reality programmes would go past without signing [any] and it would upset me.”