Quantity Surveyor Lisa O’Brien has announced that she’s leaving RTÉ’s Room To Improve.
The popular series, which stars celebrity architect Dermot Bannon, will return for a 12th series next year – but QS Lisa won’t be there to put Dermot in his place.
In an interview with the Sunday Independent, Lisa announced that she’s focusing on her new venture Brighton Homes Ltd, which will involve her working on high-end residential developments.
“I’m definitely there to help if they need me, but an opportunity to work on a new venture came my way and, while Room to Improve was a great experience, there’s a big part of you that has to go back to the day job,” she explained.
Coco Television are now recruiting for Lisa’s replacement, and she gave some sage advice for potential candidates.
“For Room to Improve, you have to be there 100pc. You need to be your own person, but you also need to concentrate on doing the job,” she said.
“I don’t need to create drama or act – that’s not my forte. If you start acting it’s really apparent, so stick to what you know.
“I’d love it if they got another woman. Patricia [Power, Lisa’s predecessor] helped put it on the map. I hope someone else comes on board with that strong female presence. It’s very current, too, for women to stand up and be counted,” she continued.
As for the next series, Lisa said, “I don’t see what they could possibly change in the next series. Maybe they’ll do more celebrity-type projects, although I’m not sure. The one thing I do know is that they’re always on the lookout for an interesting project.”
Room To Improve, which airs on Sunday nights on RTÉ One, has become hugely popular in recent years. After 11 series, Lisa has revealed why she thinks the show has been such a hit with viewers.
“They’re after getting the mix of people completely right, whether it’s a semi-d in Stillorgan or a country farmhouse,” she said.
“Dermot has his own following. Irish people are so big into property and renovation, and while a show like Home of the Year is great, here you get to see the building, and the whole design process, from scratch.”
