Michael Jackson's former bodyguard has revealed what he would do if he bought Grand Designs' 'saddest ever' home.
Martial arts millionaire Matt Fiddes, 45, tried to buy the lighthouse-inspired Chesil Cliff House for £7.5million, but was rejected.
However, he had his interest reignited after it was relisted for £5.25million and with large cracks in the driveway, caused the property's asking price to plunge from the original price tag of £10million.
Edward Short and his wife Hazel, from Devon, first appeared on Grand Designs in 2009 to reveal their ambitious plans to transform their 1950s home in Croyde, Devon, into an art-deco white lighthouse.
But these plans were thrown out of their window when his marriage collapsed and he became millions in debt in his desperate bid to build and then sell the dream home on the Devon coast.
The house's construction took 12 years and went several million pounds over budget.
It featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs in what was described as the series' 'saddest episode ever' by many viewers when it aired in October 2019.
The episode followed Edward and his family as misfortune beset the project, leaving the house unfinished and with the family into millions of pounds worth of debt.
The stunning art-deco home situated in Devon took 12 years to be built and went several million pounds over budget
Martial arts millionaire Matt Fiddes, 45, pictured, tried to buy the light house-inspired Chesil Cliff House for £7.5million but this was rejected
Mr Fiddles had his interest reignited after it was relisted for £5.25million as the property's asking price plunged from the original price tag of £10million
Mr Fiddes, who has built a global fitness empire with over 700 Martial Arts and fitness schools worldwide and is worth an estimated £30 million, has now shed light on what he plans to do with the property as he continues to work on a deal.
He told his followers on his Instagram page: 'If I were to purchase this land and property, I would probably knock it down and start again!
'It's the most sensible option. (More to come on this in the following weeks)
'We are still doing our due diligence on the best way forward to make this deal work and deal with its issues.'
He explained that locals believe the best option was to see the house demolished as they believe it would be 'washed away in 30 [years] time' or cause a 'serious accident'.
He added: 'The general opinion from locals/builders that have worked on the property is that it should be knocked down and something more in line with the North Devon coast should be built.
'Lots have messaged me concerned about how dangerous the entrance to this property is on a very busy road.
'And they wonder how it got through planning and highways permission in the first place!
'It's sad how it's currently left to ruin, and I am told it needs a few million £ to make it liveable and safe. That's without unforeseen problems found.
'Its become a tourist attraction that's not wanted on a dangerous cliff edge!
'Builders feel for the kind of money needed to be spent to finish it. It should be knocked now and rebuilt as a home in line with the Saunton and Croyde bay coastline.
'The fate of this sad story will soon be upon us. If Its not sold it will beyond repair in a year or so as its so exposed to all weathers, battering it on that coastline.'
He goes on to ask people for their opinions on what should be done, and posed the question on whether it was a 'cursed project pushed for ratings by an ambitious TV show', a product of 'careless decisions' or 'unlucky timing'.
The 2019 episode of Channel 4's Grand Designs followed Mr Short's terrible luck with the seaside property, which became a 'nightmare' and ended his marriage after 12 years and plunging his family into debt.
A deal was almost done on the property in August 2023, but a mystery buyer pulled out at the last minute and it was put back on the market.
Mr Fiddles made his millions after opening his martial arts school business with just £100.
From £6million debt to a wrecked marriage: Timeline of how Chesil Cliff House went from home of dreams to a nightmare
- 2010: Edward and his wife Hazel appear on Grand Designs to reveal their plan to turn their 1950s home into an art-deco white lighthouse in 18 months. Plans for the development were submitted and approved but several delays ensued.
- 2012: Spiralling costs and the financial crisis puts the project on hold.
- 2014: Building work finally gets underway, but is hit by delays due to the weather and financial woes.
- 2016: Edward secures a loan for more than £2million from private investors
- 2017: Project is halted again after the pair run out of money.
- 2018: Couple apologise to local residents who complain the unfinished building is an eyesore
- 2019: Edward appears on Grand Designs again, admitting that only a few rooms have been finished and that his marriage to Hazel has collapsed under the strain
- 2021: Building work started again at the property and Edward said he hopes it will be finished by the end of the year
- 2022: Property is listed for sale for £10million. Edward said his family are 'proud' of what he has achieved
It also comes complete with a beautifully fitted kitchen with stunning wooden flooring and all the amenities a home owner would need
It has been valued at £120million, and he now boasts the largest privately-owned property portfolio in Devon.
When he started his project, Mr Short hoped that it would be completed within 18 months at a cost of £2.5 million.
In a 2019 episode of Grand Designs Mr Short explained that he had long dreamed of building a lighthouse on the cliff as a home for his family - but said several factors got in the way.
Setbacks included the 2011 financial crisis which prompted funds to be withdrawn, granite bedrock that took 18 months to drill into, not the expected six, and then Covid halting progress.
When one lender pulled out in 2018, the house was left derelict, looking more abandoned multi-storey car park than millionaire's paradise. Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud, visiting in 2019, described it as a 'desolate carcass' -- on which one irritated local graffitied 'please finish'.
In the 2019 episode, Mr Short admitted how his fashion buyer ex-wife worked as a cleaner in order to fund his £7 million build and that the financial strain had an impact on their marriage.
In a newspaper interview he revealed: 'Hazel supported me and did amazing things to try to keep things going here, learning accountancy and doing holiday-let cleaning...
'She was very successful, working as a fashion buyer for Harrods, Selfridges and Simpsons, so to get to this age and have nothing is hard.'
And while he said the breakdown of his 20-year marriage was not entirely due to the stress caused by the build, he explained he would 'always carry a sense of guilt' for what he 'put Hazel through.'
He added: 'It was awful for the family because I pulled the stability rug from under them, without being able to give answers of how we were going to get out of it, other than that I had to carry on.'