Interior Design Masters star makes 'unforgettable' mistake before final

Ben Irurzun's mistake costs him a place in Interior Design Masters final

Interior Design Masters stars Ben, Roisin and Matt. (BBC)
Interior Design Masters stars Ben, Roisin and Matt. (BBC)

Interior Design Masters star Ben Irurzun created an all-white dressing room for the stars that won't be forgotten but the colour was a huge "practical" mistake. It cost him a place in the final.

Only last week fans of the show were outraged when they felt Anthony Ray had been "robbed" of a place in the Interior Design Masters final, which is fronted by Alan Carr. More drama unfolded in this week's semi-final.

The three remaining contestants – Irurzun, Roisin and Matt – were tasked with decorating a dressing room for the stars performing at the OVO arena at Wembley. Roisin won stand out space this week with her colourful dressing room that looked like a "jewel box" and Matt was saved on the sofa – meaning Irurzun was sent home after making a mistake with his design.

Viewers had fallen in love with Irurzun for his quirky sense of style, a self-confessed Victorian maximalist. Despite the impracticality of white in a dressing room, guest judge Sophie Ellis Bextor hailed Irurzun's room "unforgettable". The singer told the designer: "I was smiling the whole time I was in there. I will never forget your room."

Interior Design Masters' Michelle Ogundehin invited Sophie Ellis-Bextor to be a guest judge. (BBC)
Interior Design Masters' Michelle Ogundehin invited Sophie Ellis-Bextor to be a guest judge. (BBC)

The room was memorable from its fluffy heels left in the fridge to the mirror cocktail cabinet and all-white design. Irurzun lifted the lid on why he had chosen the bold design statement of creating a room all in white.

He said: "I wanted to make sure when you went in you felt wow. Is all of this for me?" The designer wanted to bring a "nugget" of Hollywood glamour back to the world with his all-white creation. "To me, that's where I would feel a star," he said.

Head judge Michelle Ogundehin probed designer Irurzun further on his decision choices. "A nugget of it is quite different to a full on immersion," she said.

Singer Ellis Bextor shared her own personal experience of being in the room. "The experience of being in there was like a tranquilliser of oooh I'm in this white space," she said. "I think I would float out on stage like I don't know where I am anymore but I've had a great sleep and my shoes are freezing!"

The Murder on the Dancefloor hitmaker said that the designer had imagined everything was perfect but it was a far cry from reality. "You've imagined everything being really perfect and I felt that. But that is the opposite of my experiences before I go on stage," she admitted.

Interior Design Masters viewers fell in love with Ben for his quirky sense of style. (BBC)
Interior Design Masters viewers fell in love with Ben for his quirky sense of style. (BBC)

Throwing her arms in the air, Ellis Bextor confessed to chaos before a show. "There's crap everywhere," she said. "I don't know what I'm going to wear yet. I feel I'm not going to be that starlet. I will disappoint your room."

At this moment, Irurzun realised his big mistake. "Before the star there is a human being," he said. "That's probably what I have forgotten."

The head judge praised the designer for his theatricality but she had some big questions for him. "Is it practical?" She asked. "Where does it go? You can't live in the land of story."

Ellis Bextor jumped in to share some huge positives from her experience. "I must say your room was immense fun," she said. "I was smiling the whole time I was in there. I will never forget your room." Then the singer cheekily laughed after delivering her feedback.

Sophie Ellis Bextor revealed her bizarre request before going out to perform on stage. (BBC)
Sophie Ellis Bextor revealed her bizarre request before going out to perform on stage. (BBC)

Hanging out in the dressing rooms, singing legend Ellis Bextor revealed her bizarre demand before she goes out on stage. The head judge asked her what was on her list of requirements of snacks and drinks. "The unusual one on mine is gherkins," Ellis Bextor admitted.

"Oh no," the head judge said. "Illusion of you shattered."

Ellis Bextor styled it out. "Well, that's what happens in a dressing room," she quipped with a hearty laugh. "All illusions are shattered."