Host with the most: 10 things you might not know about Kevin McCloud's Grand Designs series

Grand Designs has returned to our tellies for another series following ambitious, often reckless, people as they endeavour to build their dream homes in the face of adversity.

Seven new episodes make up the self-build show's 18th series, but despite it being a staple in many a household's TV schedule, there are a lot of things you still won't know.

So if you want to guarantee a correct answer to any Grand Designs-themed pub quiz question, it's about time you get up to speed with this surprising trivia about presenter Kevin McCloud, how it's filmed, and the Oscar-winning actress who claims to be a megafan:

1. Each episode of Grand Designs takes at least a year to film. However, one build took as long as ten years.

2. Presenter Kevin McCloud has never seen a fully finished episode as he refuses to watch himself on TV.

3. Kevin often improvises his famous monologues on the day of filming.

4. He was a member of the famous Cambridge Footlights society alongside Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry.

5. Today, he is a trained building historian and works part-time for the Society of the Protection of Ancient Buildings. He founded his own architectural consultancy HAB in 2007 (the initials stand for Happiness, Architecture, Beauty).

6. Spring 2019 will see the 20th anniversary of the inaugural episode of Grand Designs!

7. The new series has seen the show's first ever 'healthy house'. This is close to Kevin's heart as he was diagnosed with asthma at 16.

8. In Germany, the show is called Der Weg Zum Traumhaus, which translates to The Road To A Dream House.

9. Kevin has only ever visited Ikea once. He bought a rug. He also once had his own home range in Debenhams.

10. Hollywood legend Meryl Streep is a self-confessed Grand Designs 'addict'.

Grand Designs started on 19 September at 9pm on Channel 4.