Josie Gibson visits Joiners Arms in Hunwick for new TV show

The Joiners Arms in Hunwick was visited by the TV personality and her camera crew while filming in the village in February.

It came during filming for her new ITV show, ‘How To Clean Up Your House For Cash’, which aired on Monday night (April 20). It sees Josie sneak into family homes, box up their unwanted items, and uncover their hidden value.

Ian Richardson, 54, who owns and runs the pub, said the atmosphere that night was “very lively”.

Josie Gibson with staff from The Joiners Arms (Image: The Joiners Arms)

He said: “The pub was really busy that evening, and they even brought the cameras up as well.

“It was a lovely weekend overall. Everyone was really nice, including Josie and the rest of the crew.”

The Quarry Tea House in Hunwick also had a visit from the TV star as she tried some bakes and sweet treats.

Mr Richardson, who has run the pub since taking over from his parents in 2002, said the visit had initially been kept secret while filming took place.

He said: “We were told to keep it quiet at the time because it was a new programme, but as the programme aired last night, I shared the news on Facebook and the response has been amazing.”

During her visit, the former Big Brother star tried out some local ales.

The 54-year-old said: “She came in asking for a local beer. I didn’t have one on at the time, so I gave her something different and showed her the glass.

“If you can ‘split the B’, you get a free pint, and she managed to do it, which was impressive. She even took drinks over to the rest of the group and got them to try, but they couldn’t manage it.”

The County Durham pub is no stranger to being visited by TV stars.

Broadcaster Zoe Ball also filmed in Hunwick earlier this year, with the programme ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ which is expected to air in the coming weeks.

Ian said putting Hunwick on the map will be “amazing” for businesses in the village.

Owner of the The Joiners Arms with Zoe Ball (Image: The Joiners Arms)

Owner of the The Joiners Arms with Zoe Ball (Image: The Joiners Arms)

He said: “It’s really tough running a business at the moment, so anything that brings people in and supports the pub is a good thing.

“The village also has a great cricket club and a working men’s club too. We all try to help each other out like proper villages do.

“We have a great community spirit here, so it’s been amazing to put it on the map.”