She’s no stranger to the limelight, but now The One Show star Alex Jones is making waves for a very different reason – her bold move to the countryside and a seismic renovation project that could take decades to complete. With a £2.8million mansion to overhaul, Alex, 49, is trading the hustle and bustle of West London for the peaceful air of Ascot, Berkshire, and documenting the journey every step of the way.
But this isn’t just about a new home. It’s a life-changing venture that involves much more than a lick of paint and new furniture. This is about Alex and her husband Charlie Thomson building their forever home, a place where their three young children can grow up surrounded by nature, fresh air, and endless possibilities. Yet, the road to turning this dream into a reality is filled with challenges. The mansion is still far from being finished, and the couple admits it may take decades to fully transform their historic Georgian property into the ideal family retreat.
A Risky Move for a Dream Home
In 2024, Alex and Charlie made a bold move when they purchased the four-bedroom Georgian mansion, nestled in the heart of Berkshire. The house, which once belonged to music legends John Lennon and Ringo Starr, is far from a simple country getaway. This was a long-time dream for Alex, who had been searching for the perfect home for four years. The house, however, was not exactly move-in ready. Alex knew this, and still, she couldn’t resist.
In fact, so determined was she to seal the deal that she took matters into her own hands by writing a heartfelt letter to the elderly owner, Penelope, pleading with her to sell the property to the Jones family. “I wrote a letter to Penelope explaining why it would be such a lovely home for us,” Alex shared in an interview with The Times. “She wrote back and said, ‘You’re exactly the type of person I want to sell this house to.’”
When Charlie finally returned from New Zealand, he was presented with a rather unexpected surprise. Alex had already bought their new home. But it didn’t take long for him to fall in love with it, too. “It felt like home when we walked in,” she recalled.
The Challenges of a Major Renovation
However, the house is far from the idyllic dream home Alex had imagined. The property is in desperate need of a makeover, and the process promises to be a lengthy one. “We need to do a lot of work, but the bones of the house are lovely,” Alex admits. “We may be taking decades to finish this place, but we’re in no rush.”
Indeed, her “Grand Designs”-style renovation is no easy feat. The property requires a complete overhaul, starting with an extension that will turn the current kitchen into a vast open-plan kitchen-diner overlooking their expansive gardens. The couple also plans to create four new bedrooms upstairs and knock through several rooms on the ground floor to create a more cohesive living space.
But it’s not just about expanding the property. Alex’s ambitious plans also include restoring many of the Georgian features that give the house its character, including a fireplace in the playroom that had been hidden for years. As she explains, “I love how cosy the space is, but I do think we need to lighten it up a little.”
The Family’s New Life in the Country
Although the house may not yet be fully ready for their growing family, the benefits of moving to the countryside have already been significant. Alex has been quick to notice how her children—Teddy, nine, Kit, six, and Annie, four—have thrived in the cleaner air. “For the children, it’s been an absolute game-changer,” she says. “They stopped coughing. I didn’t realise it was a thing, but in London, they always had this lingering cough. It stopped as soon as we moved here.”
While the house is still a work in progress, the family has already settled into their new life in the country. The peace and space have given them the opportunity to grow as a family, offering their children the freedom to explore and play outdoors. The family’s new home provides plenty of space for all of this, but it also represents a fresh start for Alex, who had spent over a decade living in West London.
For Alex, the decision to leave the city behind wasn’t taken lightly. “It was a big decision to leave West London, where we’ve been very happy for 14 years, but we wanted the children to have space to play outside and grow up in nature,” she explains. “It took nearly four years to find the ‘one.’”
The Retro Look and the ‘Time Machine’ Kitchen
While Alex and Charlie are already making strides with their renovation plans, there’s a lot more work to be done, especially when it comes to the interior. The current style, Alex humorously refers to as “care home chic,” due to the extensive use of handrails and other features installed by the house’s elderly previous owners. The kitchen, in particular, feels like stepping into a “time machine,” as it dates back to 1976—older than Alex herself.
“I love the house’s history, but the kitchen definitely needs some work,” Alex jokes. “It’s stuck in the 1970s, and not in a good way!” Still, she’s optimistic about restoring the house while maintaining its charm. In fact, Alex has even created a mood board to help guide the design process. “I find scrapbooking really helpful for starting a new project,” she says. “I love looking through interior magazines for inspiration.”
The Big Plans for the Outbuilding
As if the main house wasn’t enough of a challenge, Alex and Charlie are also setting their sights on the property’s outbuilding. Their plan is to turn the existing structure into a single-storey annex, complete with a studio, gym, bedroom, workshop, and storage space. But with the scale of renovations needed in the main house, they may end up living in the outbuilding while they complete the work.
The couple is taking their time with these plans, as they want to “get it right” and avoid having to redo anything in the future. “We only want to do it once,” Alex says, “and we want to get it right.”
Alex’s Growing Career and Future Plans
While the couple focuses on transforming their dream home, Alex’s career is also undergoing an exciting shift. She is reportedly on the shortlist to take over the hosting duties for Strictly Come Dancing, following the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. With her new role in mind, Alex is sure to be juggling her career and family life while overseeing the renovations.
With her infectious energy and undeniable charm, Alex Jones seems ready to embrace this new chapter in both her professional and personal life. As her family settles into their sprawling country mansion, it’s clear that Alex is determined to create a space where memories are made, and dreams come true—one renovation at a time.
