An emotional episode of A Place In The Sun featuring a British couple has resurfaced following the devastating Almeria wildfire that claimed one of their lives.
Malcolm Timbrell and his wife, Annette Kilgore, appeared on the Channel 4 property programme before buying their dream home in the village of Bedar, where they hoped to spend their retirement together.
That dream came to a tragic end last week when the couple became caught up in one of Spain’s deadliest wildfires in recent memory.
Malcolm survived by taking shelter in an abandoned car with one of the couple’s cats after becoming separated from Annette during the frantic evacuation.
He has described how he pleaded with his wife and a group of neighbours not to abandon their vehicles and try to outrun the flames on foot.
‘They had no chance,’ he later told the BBC, explaining that the fire wall was moving at more than 20km/hr.
Annette was later confirmed among the 13 victims of the inferno, while Malcolm lost both his wife and the home they had lovingly built together after relocating from Cornwall.
uThe rediscovered television episode has now taken on heartbreaking significance, showing the couple excitedly viewing properties before settling on the traditional stone house overlooking the mountains around Bedar.
Presenter Leah Charles King, who showed the couple around the properties during the episode, paid a touching tribute online.
She wrote: ‘For me, A Place in the Sun has never just been about property. It’s about helping people take a chance on the life they’ve always wanted.
‘In 2022, I had the privilege of helping Annette and Malcolm find the retirement home of their dreams in the mountains of Bedar, Spain.
‘It was a joy to watch them begin a new chapter together, and from everything I knew, they built a wonderful life there and became part of the local community.
‘I’m heartbroken that Annette lost her life in the devastating wildfires. My deepest condolences go to Malcolm, Annette’s family and friends, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.
‘None of us knows what tomorrow will bring. If there’s a life you’ve been dreaming about, don’t wait for the perfect time to start living it.’
Fellow presenter Jasmine Harman also tribute to Annette, saying she was ‘so sad’ to hear of the tragedy and offering her condolences to Malcolm.
