Home truths for agony aunt

As an agony aunt, Anna Raeburn was known for her straightforward advice on emotional problems.

Now she is to bring that same nononsense approach to property makeovers.

Miss Raeburn, 59, will present a BBC TV series in which homeowners are helped to make the best use of their living spaces.

She will concentrate on the ' emotional' aspects of a makeover while an architect redesigns the rooms.

Corporation bosses would only say yesterday that the series -

provisionally called Space Invaders - is 'in development'.

But an insider said: 'The series is being planned for a prime-time slot on BBC1. Anna is going to talk to the families about how the space will affect them emotionally.

'For example, would the husband feel better if he had a garden shed to get away from it all in? Would the mother be happier with a walk-in wardrobe?'

Miss Raeburn is the latest 'golden oldie' to make a television comeback on the BBC. Bruce Forsyth is to front a remake of Come Dancing, as well as his own game show, while Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker are making the first series of The Two Ronnies in 17 years.

It is a welcome opportunity for Miss Raeburn, who last year revealed she was surviving on £100 a week after work dried up and she had to fight a bitter legal battle over an accountant's £10,000 bill.

The fortunes of Miss Raeburn, whose Talk Radio show was axed in 2003, appear to have turned around since then and she is currently guest presenting on LBC Radio.

She is also in discussions about turning the 1970s TV series Agony, which she wrote, into a feature film.

She has also just finished work on an advice book which will be published in the next year.

Twice-married Miss Raeburn, whose personal life has been chequered with sadness and tragedy, hosted one of the first phone-in advice shows on London's Capital Radio.

She also wrote Woman magazine's problem page for four years.