'I live every day as a Black woman in a multicultural house'

A Place In The Sun host Jean Johansson shows us around her stunning Scottish mansion as she calls for greater diversity in the TV industry and shares why there's no place like home

-  EVE MACDONALD

Picture the scene – a secluded beach, a driveway nestled among sun-dappled trees and, at the end of it, a glorious, imposing 19th-century home, originally built for a Scottish whisky baron.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that TV star Jean Johansson had brought us to a luxurious property featured on A Place In The Sun – the show she’s hosted for over five years. But this stunning, five-bedroom sandstone building is in fact the home in Ayrshire she shares with her husband of 15 years, former professional footballer Jonatan Johansson, 48, and their 12-year-old son Junior.

Given her busy schedule, a relaxing bolthole is just what the globe-trotting presenter needs.

“My life can be crazy. I’m away for around 25 weeks of the year,” the star explains. “From hotel rooms to airport lounges, I’m always busy. That’s why I wanted a peaceful home. Of all the decisions I’ve ever made, this house is by far one of the best. We’ve now lived here for almost 14 years.”

As well as hosting the hit Channel 4 property show, Jean, 41, has popped up on Celebrity MasterChef, is a regular on This Morning’s competition segments and won the coveted Celebrity Mastermind trophy in 2022. But her career hasn’t been without its setbacks and it’s easy to see why Jean is so thrilled to have signed up to A Place In The Sun for another year.