George Clarke

George Clarke is a household name in Britain with his passion for restoring neglected, empty and disused old buildings – and turning them into homes. His long running TV programme on Channel 4, The Restoration Man, has been an enduring hit since it first aired in March 2010. 
TV work came about by accident. In 2004, a literary agent suggested him, on the off-chance, to front a new Channel 5 programme called Build A New Life In The Country and he’s since become one of the most popular presenters of property and home improvement shows, not just with Restoration Man, but the Home Show, George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and special programmes like The Great British Property Scandal. George has his own TV company, Amazing Productions and Old House, New Home and Ugly House to Lovely House are yet more examples of the hit shows he’s been presenting.
Trained as an architect, and a very gifted one at that, George Clarke’s popularity means he is uniquely positioned to be your keynote speaker or event host on issues encompassing the circular economy and conservation, especially as these affect the places where people live. Everyone has a dream home. George Clarke tries to make that dream come true, in ways that use buildings and materials that are already there, rather than exploiting fresh resources – a superb example of the circular economy in action.
Born in Sunderland in 1974, architecture was George Clarke’s career ambition from an early age. Both his grandfathers were builders, and he recalls that while many of his schoolmates were playing with building blocks, he was actually on construction sites. Little wonder that soon after qualifying (with flying colours), he found himself working in the offices of the world-renowned architect Sir Terry Farrell, and later, in his own hugely successful practice. 
George Clarke is also a campaigner and embraced the challenge of working as a government adviser on bringing empty homes back into use and as an ambassador for the charity Shelter. Charismatic and hugely knowledgeable, George is a great communicator and performer with a live audience and one of the UK’s most popular keynote speakers on property, restoration, conservation and the circular economy.