SNOOPING around the mega-mansion of a celebrity is something most of us can only dream of.
But contestants of a new Channel 4 property show had a task to remember when they were set the challenge of flogging Boy George's mansion.
The home features on Selling Super Houses, which sees aspiring estate agents battle it out to join elite property company Robert Irving Burns (RIB).
They were invited into the Culture Club singer’s Grade II listed Gothic mansion near Hampstead Heath, in London.
Listed for a jaw-dropping £17million, the sprawling five-bedroom property boasts triple-height ceilings, a Buddhist meditation tower and a beautiful bathroom with a skylight ceiling.
Such a stunning home would seem to sell itself, but there are a few surprises in store for the wannabe brokers trying to flog it.
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They include a number of “exaggerated demands” from Boy George – real name George Alan O'Dowd – while showing the mansion to prospective buyers.
He told the show: “If there’s no rock and roll in their sales pitch, if there’s no drama, they are sort of missing the point of who lives there.”
'Exaggerated demands'
Paul Kemsley, known as PK, fronts the show and in tomorrow's episode decides to highlight the demanding nature of some of their ultra-high-end clients.
Referring to the homeowners as “V-V-VIP” – very, very, very important people – PK convinces Boy George, 62, to make some "exaggerated demands" for the sellers.
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10They include wiping down every surface after it has been touched and ensuring there is “absolute silence” in his meditation room.
PK suggests they should also be made to say a Buddhist prayer before entering the house.
Boy George chimes in: "They can just say Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō, which is a charm."
But adhering to the singer's rules could be worth it for the hopeful sellers, who are unaware whose home it is until after the house viewings, because if they sell the home they stand to make a whopping £340,000 in commission.
'Unique location'
The stunning mansion owned by Boy George used to be known as The Logs and was originally built for engineer and developer Edward Gotto in 1868.
At the time it cost £9,000 to construct – the equivalent of £1.3million today – and later, the owner added wings to the property to increase the space.
Boy George isn’t the only celebrity resident – previously it was owned by British actor and comedian Marty Feldman.
The singer, who bought the home in the Eighties after the success of his 1982 hit Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?, described the home as being in a “unique location”.
On the show, he explains that the 4,500-square-foot property is on a “corner of Hampstead [that] hasn’t been available for 40 years”.
The striking Italian-inspired villa has undergone a number of refurbishments since Boy George moved in to cater to his eccentric tastes.
That includes being filled to the brim with expensive artwork, religious artefacts, and music memorabilia including a cast of David Bowie’s face.
As one of the wannabe property sellers explains on the show: "There's just feature after feature after feature."
Walking into the beautiful home, guests’ eyes are immediately drawn to the central hall’s triple-height ceiling, grand staircase and stunning stained glass windows.
The five-bedroom and five-bathroom semi-detached property has a mixture of colourful paintings and gothic decor, as favoured by Boy George.
Inside one of the several entertainment rooms, the singer has installed a DJ deck and others showcase his quirky style and a few of his trademark hats.
The kitchen, which has marble work surfaces, is located towards the rear of the property and floor-to-ceiling glass windows.
The master bedroom, which is on the top floor of the property, boasts views over Hampstead Heath and a dressing room.
It also has an enviable private bathroom that the singer tastefully decorated with exposed brickwork, a roll-top bath and a giant skylight as the ceiling.
There is also a meditation tower and roof terrace at the top of the property.
Outside, there is a landscaped garden at both the front and the back, and off-street parking for multiple cars.
According to the show, it was the staircase that sold the property to Boy George.
One of the aspiring property sellers says: "This staircase is what sold it to the current owner, he walked in and was like I have to have this.”
'Style snub'
While the contestants were largely positive about the singer's home, they landed themselves in trouble a few times.
"Oh no, this isn’t for everyone," one admits, which left Boy George "annoyed" and "unimpressed", according to PK.
He said: "George has put a lot of effort into remodelling the house so of course he was going to think that was a bit rude."
The musician was also unimpressed that many of the agents failed to remain silent in his meditation room.
He joked: "My yoga room is a place of meditation… They’re going to yoga hell!”
At the end of the viewing, Boy George is unveiled as the mystery owner of the property to the contestants.
He tells them: "It was fascinating today to see some of the emotions [and] some of the nerves.
"The bad news is you didn’t sell the house, so have a pleasant evening."
Reflecting on the experience and the lack of buyers, Boy George jokes: "Did they really want to hurt me?"
It's unclear if Boy George's home is still being listed with RIB but in November last year, it was being offered by Aston Chase.
According to Zoopla, the average sold price for a property in Hampstead in the last 12 months was £1.9million.
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However, for a semi-detached, the average sold price rose to a whopping £4.3million.
Selling Super Houses continues Tuesday at 10pm, stream weekly or watch live on Channel 4.
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