It’s not unusual for former celebrities to take on demanding challenges as a way to reinvent themselves.
Reality TV shows such as I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, which has just crowned McFly’s Danny Jones King of the Jungle, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother test former stars in exchange for a second opportunity to achieve fame. .
But while reality TV may seem like the obvious path for those hoping to return, one popular host from the early 2000s decided to take on a completely new venture and has acquired an impressive following as a result.
Dominic Wood, one half of the ‘Dick & Dom’ presenting duo, whose BAFTA-winning CBBC children’s show Dick & Dom in Da Bungalow ran for five series until March 2006, has relaunched himself as a DIY expert.
Active on Instagram and TikTok under the name @the_houseofwood, Dom, 46, has amassed more than 500,000 followers on the social media platforms, capturing users’ attention by documenting his home renovation project in clips that are a both informative and fun.
Dom’s new endeavor dates back to the first Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, when he and his wife, Sandi, bought a 1930s property in Surrey for their young family to live in.
When they moved in, social distancing regulations meant it was impossible to hire the builders and tradespeople people normally trust when it comes to home renovations and improvements.
In his first Instagram post published on June 28, 2020, Dom explained this situation and, in true children’s television presenter style, asked for the audience’s opinion.
Dick & Dom star Dominic Wood has a very surprising new hobby 20 years after starring on the CBBC show (pictured in 2003)
The BAFTA-winning children’s show Dick & Dom in Da Bungalow ran for five series until March 2006.
The caption to a series of images taken from the estate agent’s brochure explains: “Since no one could work, Sandi had to do everything we could on our own.” It was hard work on top of homeschooling and job loss, BUT we like a challenge and THIS was a challenge.
‘The house had obviously been lived in and loved, but needed some updating. These are the photos of the real estate agency’s brochure. ‘What would you do first?!?’
More than 220 posts later, Dom’s Instagram grid not only tells the story of the family home’s step-by-step transformation, but it’s also a treasure chest of tips for aspiring DIYers.
Projects vary in size and complexity with relatively simple tasks like creating a cutting board from a piece of wood at one end of the spectrum and more complicated jobs like redoing the ladder – “hard, VERY messy work,” according to Dom – in the other.
On TikTok, the former presenter, who still DJs with partner Richard ‘Dick’ McCourt, 48, at summer festivals and student unions, regularly attracts tens of thousands of views with his instructional videos.
But as informative as they are, the clips are also entertaining, with Dom completing tasks at breakneck speed (thanks to the editing) while a Joe Wicks-style voiceover narrates the steps taken.
Dom Wood (pictured) has relaunched himself as a DIY expert via TikTok and Instagram accounts called @the_houseofwood.
The former children’s TV presenter turned his attention to DIY when he and his family moved into a new home just before the first Covid-19 lockdown was announced. Since it was impossible to hire builders and tradesmen, Dom and his wife Sandi had no choice but to do the home improvements themselves.
One of Dom’s most popular videos shows him redoing the hallway and, specifically, the staircase. He removed the carpet, sanded the wood and prepared the staircase for painting before adding a runner.
Dom also does garden work, including building a couple of planters.
Cameos from the family dog and the addition of sassy remixes of well-known hits only make the clips more appealing.
A video posted on January 18, 2022, which has racked up 2.8 million views, takes viewers through one of the biggest home improvement projects: redoing the hallway and, specifically, the staircase.
The minute-long TikTok clip shows Dom removing the carpet from the stairs with a knife before sanding the exposed wood and preparing it for painting.
In the caption of the Instagram post showing the same work, she writes: “As you know we moved during lockdown 1 so we were lucky to get any rugs.” A corridor was not an option as everything was closed!
‘For 2 days I worked very hard removing the stairs, sanding, filling, drilling nails and painting. Hard work and VERY messy!!!!’
And, when the new staircase is revealed at the end of the clip, it’s obvious that their hard work paid off.
While Dom’s little DIY tutorials are to be admired for their amazing transformations, it’s his down-to-earth attitude that seems to endear him to viewers.
Its carefree “try it” approach, in which Dom teaches himself the basics of a job before giving it his best, seems to appeal to social media users who are equally motivated to fix up their houses but maybe they feel intimidated. for the task at hand.
Use a concrete mixer to mix the cement before laying the bricks evenly.
The family dog, shown here with the new planters, often makes cameos in Dom’s videos.
The nostalgic comments from Dick & Dom fans on Da Bungalow only make Dom’s social media presence more entertaining.
In another video, which has been viewed a million times on TikTok, Dom confronts the radiator.
Aware that the weight of the radiator was falling on the water pipes, ‘which could have ended in a real disaster’, he placed some supports to redistribute the weight.
Having taken on his first plumbing assignment, Dom is particularly relatable, as the voiceover admits: ‘It took me weeks to work up the courage to do this job. I’m glad I did it.’
A third video takes viewers through the process of building brick planters, from mixing the cement in a concrete mixer to laying the bricks evenly.
And, in addition to the many practical tasks, Dom makes fun additions to the new home, the most exciting of which is undoubtedly the garden tree swing.
Nostalgic comments from fans dating back to his former life as a children’s presenter also make Dom’s social media presence especially enjoyable.
One fan commented: “A lot less work when you lived in a bungalow.”
Another chimed in: ‘Sorry… stairs?’ Did you think you lived in the bungalow?
While a third, focusing attention on one of Dick & Dom’s most popular games at Da Bungalow, ‘Bogies’, wrote: ‘BOGIES!!! You’re destroying it friend.’