Channel 4's George Clarke on the 'horrific' childhood tragedy he suffered aged seven
George Clarke opened up about his heartbreaking childhood in which he suffered a family tragedy when he was just seven years old.
Presenter George Clarke, known for the likes of Amazing Spaces, The Restoration Man and Old House New Home - has made an emotional admission about his childhood.
George opened up about losing his dad when he was just seven years old and says the ordeal left him at a "crossroads".
George's dad was only 26 at the time and died during a water skiing accident.
During an interview with The Guardian, George explained how his dad's death was "brushed under the carpet".
George continued: "I reached a crossroads after Dad died: I could either crumble and lose the plot, or find the best in an awful situation."
"The grief was horrific I still carry it with me every day but I accepted that everything happens for a reason. My dad only had 26 years on the planet, so I was going to make the most of every day."
George recently celebrated his 50th birthday, surrounded by his children and his partner Florence Hvorostovsky, 52. George has been in a relationship with Florence - an opera singer and pianist - since 2022.
He told OK! last month: "I had a very quiet birthday, intentionally quiet. I literally spent my birthday day with my kids, my partner and her kids, my mum, a couple of my best friends and their wives.
"There were 12 of us. It was a good lunch and that's all I did. Everybody expected me to do a big massive party but you know what, I couldn't be bothered."
George shares sons Georgie, 21, and Emilio, 19, with ex-wife Catriona Drummond and weighs in on whether he would work with his kids on a build. "My children grew up on building sites because I was always doing a project," he says. "Now I'm not building so many projects, they're probably happy to be settled!"
The new series of George Clark's Amazing Space airs next Thursday at 9pm on Channel 4 - and George reveals he'll visit all sorts of "bonkers" properties including one that his daughter Iona, 16, found on social media.
George said: "A lad in London converted a skip into a mini house I was tipped off about that by my daughter," George says. "She saw it on TikTok and I got our researchers straight on to it. She should have been paid a researcher's fee, actually!"
