Escape to the Country presenter Nicki Chapman was on hand to calm the nerves of two house hunters as she unveiled the first potential property in their search. On Thursday's instalment, BBC audiences met Alice and Jonny, a couple aiming to buy their joint home following three years in New Zealand before settling briefly in Birmingham. They were now keen to move to the Yorkshire countryside armed with a generous £550,000 budget, yearning for a characterful home with three to four bedrooms.

Kicking off the show, Nicki guided them towards a charming residence on the outskirts of Darley Village. But as they approached, the BBC star chimed in with a curious teaser, reports Yorkshire Live. She questioned: "I wonder, have you ever considered living in a mill? A converted mill?" Facing their surprised revelation of never contemplating such an option, Nicki quickly reassured them: "Now, don't be too scared, it's not the whole building! Just one section of it.".

Their tension dissolved into laughter, and they went on to admire the tranquil surroundings. Alice remarked: "We love the fields, it's beautiful, it's very quiet and peaceful.". Inside, the compliments didn't cease as the viewers learned more from Nicki, who explained: "Dating back to the 1820s, this striking mill was converted in 2012. There's a lot to see across its four floors and we're starting with the ground-floor kitchen-diner.".

Alice and Jonny's property hunt took an exciting turn when they realised the kitchen in one of the homes they viewed was bigger than their current one, it sparked visions of a potential new life there. As their search progressed, both Alice and Jonny overvalued the property, with Alice speculating a £525,000 price tag and Jonny slightly higher at £540,000. However, they were pleasantly surprised when Nicki chimed in saying: "You are both quite wide of the mark but in a good way! The asking price £465,000.".

Alice responded in disbelief: "Wow! That's interesting." The real game-changer turned out to be the third house Nicki showed them, which left Alice inquiring about where to sign, especially after discovering it fell under their budget. By the show's conclusion, BBC audiences were informed that the couple had arranged a second viewing, with Jonny sharing their plans to get a closer look at the area before committing to an offer.

Despite the initial enthusiastic response, a voiceover updated viewers on the ultimate outcome, it said: "Alice and Jonny returned to the house and loved it just as much, but decided it was too close to the town for them. "They are now sure of the style of the property they want though. So the search continues and I'm confident they'll be making Yorkshire their home very soon.". Escape to the Country is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.