ItS the £5million ‘doer-upper’ purchased by Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty after they returned to the UK from Los Angeles five years ago, hoping to bring a touch of Hollywood to their new lives.

Discreetly tucked away on a private road in the north London suburb of Hampstead – an area beloved by A-listers such as Harry Styles, Ricky Gervais and Daniel Craig – it was intended to be the couple’s ‘forever home’.

Next to the sprawling Heath, the dilapidated house had so much of what estate agents love to call ‘potential’. And both Cat and Patrick believed the tranquil spot was perfect for bringing up their two young sons.

So they happily set to work back in 2023 to make the gloomy 1950s five-bedroom house into something their architect later described as ‘inspired by… houses of the west coast of America which are familiar to the clients who spent many years living there’.

He added: ‘Materials have also been introduced that connect the clients to their previous home in LA and to places that have significant memories for them.’

Natural light was to flood the house, and ambitious plans submitted showed a new grand entrance, the demolition of a living-room mezzanine floor and a 4ft extension of bedrooms and a terrace.

Celebrity touches came,too,with a planned ‘nanny suite’,his-and-her dressing rooms,a bar and a snug. In short, it was to be a slice of high-end California in London.

Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley in LA in 2015. Those who know the couple expect that it will be Cat, 48, who will remain in situ, along with their sons, aged nine and seven. Meanwhile, Patrick, 54, spends ‘the majority of the week’ in Ireland

And, despite the significant renovation required – the construction work suggested, I’m told, was equal to any house seen on Grand Designs – both Cat and Patrick were energised by the prospect, taking the view that the hard work and financial investment would be worth it.

Now, though, the house that once held so much hope looks to be the center of an impending battle between them, after the couple announced in the summer that they were to split after 12 years. ‘Both Cat and Patrick have put an awful lot of time and effort into this house,’ said one source. ‘It has been at the centre of their lives for two years and means a lot to them both.

‘But a divorce is now expected and they simply can’t both live there. It is not like a couple selling a normal house. Blood, sweat and tears have gone into this. One of them is highly likely to stay there, while the other will walk away having put so much into it.’

Those who know the couple describe it as a ‘hardcore passion project which at times has been very trying’.

Cat ofen shares updates with her This Morning colleagues and has documented the process on her social media. One video from February last year saw her admitting: ‘I’m not going to lie, I got a bit of a shock today. Not much house, lots of air,’ and showed the home looking more like a shell.

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Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty: Behind the Split

Cat Deeley and patrick kielty have announced their separation after nearly seven years of marriage,citing a desire for privacy and stating no third party was involved. However, sources suggest the split may not be as amicable as publicly portrayed.

The couple, who share two young children, were friends long before becoming husband and wife. A friend reveals, “They know one another so well. However, in recent years their lives have changed and gone in directions they wouldn’t have necessarily chosen, and that’s added some pressures. Both hope they can keep this all friendly but it’s very hard.”

Adding fuel to speculation, some within Patrick Kielty’s circle reportedly reacted with satisfaction to the negative attention Cat Deeley received for not attending the funeral of his mother, Mary, in March. The Daily Mail previously reported that her absence “left members of his close-knit family ‘seething’.”

Patrick was visibly distraught as he carried his mother’s coffin in Dundrum, Co Down. Cat’s spokesperson stated she remained home to care for her children. However, the significance of funeral attendance in Irish culture – and the perceived disrespect of not paying one’s respects – led to widespread speculation about existing strain in the relationship.

The issue resurfaced following the announcement of their separation.A source stated, “Let’s just say some of his friends were happy that Cat’s squeaky clean reputation was questioned. Cat has her reasons for not going to the funeral, which she’s not going to discuss, but his family were very happy to speak out on it after they split and say how dreadful it was that she wasn’t there.It has been very upsetting for Cat. She knows she had a good reason not to go.”

Others who know Patrick are…