Since taking home the crown on the BBC’s Interior Design Masters in 2022, Australian-born Banjo launched his own interior design business from the Isle of Mull, his home with husband Ro for the last eight years. In Designing The Hebrides Banjo brings his unique design style to the people who welcomed him into their community and other Hebridean islands. Quadrille has acquired Wild Isle Style from Banjo Beale, an interior designer who won the BBC One series “Interior Design Masters” in 2022. Banjo Beale Banjo’s passion for design, and his love of island life really does shine through in Designing The Hebrides, as he breathes new life into properties across the Islands. Christine Leach tells the extraordinary story of the Beatons of Pennyghael, physicians to chiefs and kings, while Sir Lachlan MacLean, chief of Clan MacLean of Duart, will be joined by Ray Canham to explore the life of his ancestor Sir Fitzroy MacLean. Well, at the time, it was the most terrifying thing in the entire world. But I think that’s for all of us because it means so much to us. And genuinely, you know, that Michelle just wants you to do the best. And she knows our potential. So, it’s her job to make it uncomfortable and for us to stretch ourselves.

About Banjo Beale

Banjo is the winner of BBC's Interior Design Masters 2022, host of Scotland's Home Of The Year and author of a forthcoming book which will be released in October 2023. Based in the Scottish Hebrides, the interior designer is also the star of a brand new TV series, Designing The Hebrides . Set against stunning Scottish landscapes and amidst the challenges of hard-to-reach locations and extreme conditions, Designing The Hebrides showcases distinctive makeovers, encapsulating Banjo’s irrepressible enthusiasm, ingenuity and design flair.

Sustaining local craft

Sophie Allen, senior commissioning editor, acquired world rights from Ben Clark at the Soho Agency. Wild Isle Style will publish on 12th October 2023. My city of Tobermory is one of the most colourful in the UK, but some of the interior spaces are begging for individuality, according to Banjo. Thankfully, some courageous locals are giving me the keys to their homes, including a bothy that is two hours by foot from the closest road and a distant lighthouse, castle turret, and cherished local rugby team. Although they are logistical problems to deliver, they are dream properties to design. After eight weeks of decisions, dramas and driving thousands of miles to secure those very special reclaimed and second-hand items to make his super-stylish schemes stand out, Australian-born cheesemaker, marketeer and stylist Banjo Beale, 35, who lives with his partner Ro on the Isle of Mull, Scotland, has been crowned the winner of Interior Design Masters 2022. The whole premise of the book is from the perspective of living on an island, embracing the materials that we have, using finite resources and only our own skills to bring them to life. So, it’s about taking that mindset into everything we do. Also on an island, you just have fun, there’s no pressure, and it’s not trying to be trendy. It’s just, it’s just a little bit of fun and tongue in cheek.’

Beale Quadrille acquires Wild Isle Style from interior designer Beale

It doesn’t matter whether you’re living in London or the Hebrides, I think we can just decide to actually make a conscious effort not to run out to these big stores and buy flat things. ‘Because part of the adventure is just getting the free stuff, isn’t it? I love going and meeting the person that I’m getting it off and going into their living room and you’ve got a story then immediately where it’s from.The outland ish tale of how an Aussie boy ended up on a Scottish island and onto Interior Design Masters on BBC. Returning to Australia for a year, Banjo began the first chapter in his Interior Design journey, convincing an unwitting group to let him design their office, art gallery and cafe. But the call of the wild west coast of Scotland was too loud, they had to return to their spiritual home. Interior design guru, Banjo Beale, sets his sights on the Scottish isles in Designing The Hebrides, a new six-part series (6x30), co-commission for BBC Scotland and BBC Two produced by DSP production (a Banijay UK company). Steve Allen, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland, says: “Banjo’s passion for design, and his love of island life really does shine through in Designing The Hebrides, as he breathes new life into properties across the Islands.” Clare Mottershead, Lead Commissioning Editor, Factual Entertainment and Events, adds: ‘Banjo’s originality, warmth and wit made him a favourite with our Interior Design Masters audience so it’s great to be able to share the next chapter of his story as he brings his infectious passion for design to his adopted Hebridean home.”

Banjo Beale fronts new six-part series Interior designer Banjo Beale fronts new six-part series

Two of Scotland’s leading artists of nature and landscape, Sarah Ross Thompson and Jane Smith, will be hosting a lunch at An Tobar while showcasing their work and discussing future projects with a delicious meal provided by Mark and Brendan from the Boathouse on Ulva. Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our newsletter here. READ NEXT: A new television series following Banjo as he launches his design career in the Hebrides is set to air in summer 2023. The series follows Banjo as he renovates incredible properties in remote locations including a lighthouse, castle and bothy two hours walk from the nearest road. Banjo battles wild weather, straight talking locals and tiny budgets to create characterful spaces in spectacular places.

Combining history, myth and travelogue, Dougie Strang’s The Bone Cave recounts a month-long walk following the invisible strands of story across the Scottish Highlands, and Kerri Andrew will be examining how walking is a source of creativity and comfort, a means of expressing grief, longing and desire and an activity full of physical and emotional significance in Way Makers, an anthology and testament to the rich literary heritage created by generations of women walker-writers over the centuries. Beale, also the star of the recent six-part BBC show “Designing the Hebrides” , as well as a judge on “Scotland’s Home of the Year”, said: “ Wild Isle Style is my roadmap for embarking on a design adventure, where we throw out the rule book and meet the colourful characters behind spaces that don’t cost the earth. From a family-owned fish shop in Tobermory, a bothy on the remote island of Ulva to a bookshop and café on Skye, each week, Banjo and his design team embrace a unique interior design project, fulfilling the client’s brief on a limited budget and a fast turnaround. In the first episode, Banjo and his team get to transform a much loved family run fish shop in Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. Commissioned by his friend and fish shop manager Sally, Banjo must try and fulfill her dream to modernize her family’s traditional business. Banjo combines unique finds with clever design to create sustainable, characterful and collected spaces for his interior design clients and TV projects.