On Wednesday’s episode of A Place in the Sun, presenter Ben Hillman was seen struggling to win the approval of house hunters Deb and Steve, leaving viewers worried.
The retirees were searching for their perfect abode in Roquetas de Mar, Almeria Province, but Ben had difficulty making a good impression. Deb, who immediately disliked the first property without entering it, halted the viewing midway.
Priced at £150,000, the townhouse didn’t appeal to Deb right from the outside. As they walked through the property, the couple determined it wasn’t the right fit.
“I don’t like it,” declared Deb upon entry, causing Ben to let out a sigh of disappointment.
She continued to express her dissatisfaction: “There is not enough natural light in here. It needs too much doing, and I don’t like the outside or the lounge,” reports the Mirror.
Ben couldn’t hide his dismay as the viewing came to an abrupt end, conceding, “We haven’t got off to the best start.”
Despite Ben’s expertise, the couple dismissed the first four properties he showed them, stating none were “not a contender”.
Following the fourth property showing, Ben lightheartedly confessed: “I am just going to go and have a little weep.”
All hopes rested on the fifth property that initially seemed promising to the couple; however, Deb soon disclosed her reservations about the red kitchen.
The buyer also expressed uncertainty about the townhouse, feeling it was somewhat “overlooked”, and ultimately, the couple chose to exclude it from consideration, leaving Ben with no contenders.
As the episode aired, viewers expressed their concerns for Ben on social media, noting his struggles to meet the house hunter’s requirements.
“Oh, poor Ben. Has anyone checked on him? #aplaceinthesun,” one viewer commented.
“I’m worried for Ben’s safety #aplaceinthesun,” another penned while a third added: “Ben’s seriously misreading the room …… she’s gonna go mental soon #aplaceinthesun.”
Someone else joked: “What if Ben’s sat in the middle seat on flight back #aplaceinthesun.”
When Ben reflected on their property viewings at the end of the episode, Deb and Steve said they would continue their search.
However, some viewers weren’t happy and thought they “wasted” Ben’s time after failing to put an offer on any of the properties.
“Ben waving off timewaster Debs at the airport,” one fan tweeted while another commented: “Poor Ben!!! #aplaceinthesun.”
A Place in the Sun airs weekdays at 6pm on Channel 4.