Dick Strawbridge

Dick Strawbridge has a career spanning military service, engineering, and television presenting, known for his expertise in sustainability and restoration. After being commissioned into the British Army’s Royal Corps of Signals in 1979, Dick Strawbridge embarked on a distinguished military career, steadily rising through the ranks to Lieutenant (1981), Captain (1985), Major (1991), and ultimately Lieutenant Colonel in 1999. For his exemplary service, he was awarded an MBE in 1993. Following his retirement from the army in November 2001, Strawbridge transitioned into television, initially gaining recognition as a contestant.

The series chronicled their extensive renovation of the 45-room Château de la Motte-Husson in France, running for nine successful seasons until its conclusion in 2022. The program’s immense popularity led to several spin-offs, including ‘Escape to the Chateau DIY’ which premiered in 2018, where they guided other expatriate château owners, and ‘Escape to the Chateau: Make Do and Mend’ from 2020 to 2021. Concurrently, Strawbridge also presented other engineering and design-focused series such as ‘Trainspotting Live’ (2016), ‘Cabins in the Wild’ (2017), and ‘The Biggest Little Railway in the World’ (2018). He has authored several books, including ‘Preserves’ (2012) and ‘Practical Self-Sufficiency’.

Following the final season of ‘Escape to the Chateau’ in 2022, Strawbridge continued to engage with his dedicated fanbase, launching the ‘Dick & Angel’s CHAT…EAU’ podcast in 2023. Most recently, he co-starred in the three-episode series ‘Secret France with Dick and Angel’, which aired in June 2024, continuing to explore French culture and history.