The TV doctor, best known for co-producing CBeebies’ Get Well Soon, appearing on BBC’s Morning Live and ITV’s This Morning and his stint on Strictly Come Dancing , spotted the unique property while filming an episode of BBC’s Celebrity Escape to the Country in 2023.
With uninterrupted views stretching from Peel Tower right across to the Manchester skyline, it was the kind of place that stops you in your tracks. ‘I saw it and just thought, I need this,’ he says. ‘It took my breath away.’
At the time Ranj, who grew up in Kent but was living in London, was looking for somewhere to switch off from his busy working life, a sanctuary surrounded by countryside where he would have space to host guests. He put in an offer and purchased it for £465,000 in February 2024.
The tower (Image: A.J. Critch Media)
Originally built in 1840 as a water tower serving a nearby printworks, the building was later converted into a home and connected to the cottage next door set around a courtyard with several neighbouring homes.
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A big part of the appeal was its location. ‘I needed to be close to Manchester for work,’ he says. ‘My godchildren live in Burnley, so I’m halfway between the two. It’s the perfect spot.’
What he didn’t realise at the time was quite how big a project he was taking on. ‘I thought it would be a cosmetic refurb – six months, £100,000 and done,’ he laughs. ‘It turned into two years and a complete renovation. Practically gutting the place and starting again from scratch.’
The reality hit quickly. On the day he got the keys, he discovered a leak, and that was just the start of what was to come. ‘As soon as I started to chip away at this place the problems became more and more evident. Damp, insulation, plumbing – the project just kept getting bigger and bigger.’
The 85-inch TV had to be carried up four flights of stairs (Image: A.J. Critch Media)
The renovation work also brought setbacks. At one point, after everything had been freshly plastered, a plumbing mistake flooded the entire property. ‘That was heartbreaking,’ he reflects.
Financially, the project went far beyond what he had planned. ‘My budget more than doubled,’ he says. But by collaborating with brands along the way – exchanging social media and promotional work for materials, fittings and furnishings – he managed to offset some of the cost. ‘I’ve probably saved around £50,000 doing that,’ he adds.
Step inside and all the effort feels more than worth it. You enter through a small hallway, where bespoke steel doors and a large mirror reflect the light and open up the space.
The kitchen sits to the left and the formal lounge to the right. What was once a series of smaller, closed-off rooms has been completely opened up to create a bright, flowing ground floor designed around socialising.
‘The whole ground floor had walls and doors,’ he says. ‘So all of this has been opened up to make it one big, sociable area. I wanted somewhere people could come, sit, eat, drink and just have a good time.’
The lounge is sophisticated but inviting (Image: A.J. Critch Media)
The lounge is sophisticated but inviting – cream sofas, layered textures and low lighting. Candles flicker in the fireplace, adding to the atmosphere, while underfloor heating keeps things cosy and darker accents bring depth to the space.
That same look carries throughout the house, built around a neutral palette of creams, taupes and greys, with lighting kept low and atmospheric. Spotlights and hidden strips create a gentle glow rather than anything harsh, adding to a relaxed, hotel-like feel. ‘I wanted it to feel like one space, so the flooring is the same throughout the house,’ he says.
The property spans five floors and 70 steps – something Ranj became very aware of during the renovation. ‘At one point I was doing 20,000 steps a day just going up and down,’ he laughs. Getting everything in was no easy task either. ‘We had to carry an 85-inch TV up four flights of stairs – any bigger and we would have had to crane it in.’
In the kitchen, sleek dark cabinetry wraps around a central white marble island made for entertaining. Glassware sits neatly in smoked-glass cabinets and on open shelving, while a bold pop-art print of Marilyn Monroe adds a flash of colour and personality.
Ranj’s dressing room with freestanding bath (Image: A.J. Critch Media)
On the windowsill, his Cooking with the Stars trophy from 2022 takes pride of place. ‘I finally have space to cook,’ he says. ‘Although I’ll be honest – I’m more of a party and nibbles kind of person.’ Even so, he has ambitions of filming a cooking mini-series to showcase the space.
Upstairs, on the first floor, is a snug with a secret office space cleverly concealed behind wardrobe doors, plus the main bathroom and guest room with its own spa-like en suite. ‘I’ve always wanted somewhere people could come and stay,’ he says.
Project management and design was led by Ranj himself, with him tackling as much of the work as he could. There are clever touches everywhere, from that hidden office to layered wall murals along the staircase, brought to life with subtle spotlights – an idea he admits his electrician initially thought was ‘nuts’, but one that now makes a striking feature.
Despite how put-together it all looks, it still feels personal. Artwork by his friend Thomas Wolski, who appeared alongside him on Escape to the Country and lent a hand during the renovation, is dotted throughout the house, alongside pieces Ranj has collected over time. The air carries a subtle, expensive scent too, the kind that clings to your clothes long after you’ve left.
The master bedroom (Image: A.J. Critch Media)
As you move further up, the tower begins to take over. ‘You start in the cottage and then you head up into the tower and it just keeps getting better,’ he says. ‘The light, the views – it’s incredible.’
This is Ranj’s own private retreat, his ‘tower master suite’ split over three levels. It begins with a dressing room flooded with natural light from windows on three sides, complete with full-height wardrobes and a freestanding bath. ‘This is the best room to get ready in,’ he says. ‘Music on, maybe a glass of champagne, bath… I just take my time.’
Next is the master bedroom, where one of the most striking features in the house hangs overhead – a chandelier made up of hundreds of delicate glass droplets, each one individually hung by Ranj himself. ‘There’s 500 in that one,’ he says. ‘And 250 each in the bedside ones, so 1,000 in total. It took hours. I don’t want to take them down or clean them – ever.’
Such is his attention to detail, he even sprayed the chandelier to tone down the gold finish so it better matched the rest of the scheme.
He had a handy connection when it came to the beds, which had to be specially made to fit up the stairs. ‘I used to work in a bed factory when I was 18, just before I went to university,’ he says. ‘I’ve done work with the company since, so they made the beds for me. They are made to bespoke sizes, and the mattress has ‘Designed by Dr Ranj’ embroidered on it.’
Above the master bedroom is the cinema room, a dark, cocooning space complete with its own bar. ‘So you don’t have to go all the way downstairs if you want a drink,’ he says. He proudly points out a smaller detail too – a lit alcove shelf he built himself from what had been unused space the evening before we visit.
‘I fitted that last night,’ he says. ‘It was completely wasted space before, and I just thought, why not turn it into something useful?’
The bedroom (Image: A.J. Critch Media)
At the very top sits the ‘icing on the cake’, the rooftop terrace – something Ranj has yet to fully enjoy, having only moved in last October. ‘I haven’t properly used it yet,’ he admits. But with his first full summer approaching, there’s a real sense of anticipation. ‘The views are incredible, and it’s completely private,’ he says. ‘I can’t wait to use it.’
Ranj still has his flat in London for work, but spends as much time as he can in Bury. Among his neighbours are actress and radio presenter Gemma Atkinson and her partner, Strictly Come Dancing professional Gorka Márquez. ‘Gemma and Gorka live just over there,’ he says, pointing across the fields from the roof terrace.
He’s also got to know the neighbours in the courtyard. ‘They’re all lovely,’ he says. ‘I’ve discovered one of them really likes prosecco.’ Keen to play his part, he’s upgraded the shared intercom and installed a defibrillator. ‘We are in the middle of nowhere, so that’s something I felt really passionate about,’ he adds.
Dr Ranj Singh (Image: A.J. Critch Media)
He’s been busy getting to know the wider area too, with nearby Ramsbottom becoming a favourite. ‘It’s about a 45-minute walk and it’s lovely,’ he says. ‘Great places to eat, nice atmosphere. The only downside to the north is it rains too much. The water’s better, the tea’s better, the people are nicer – it’s so much better.’
From the start, Ranj imagined the house as somewhere to bring people together – something he’d never quite had space for before. ‘I’ve always wanted a home where I could have people over,’ he says. ‘Now I finally can.’
The first proper gathering came when filming wrapped on the I Escaped to the Country revisit. ‘We had people over, food, drinks – it was exactly what I’d imagined,’ he says. ‘It felt really special.’
Ironically, the move that was meant to bring calm initially did the opposite. ‘I came here to de-stress,’
he says. ‘And then it became the most stressful thing I’ve ever done.’ Now, though, that’s changing. ‘Finally, I feel like I can relax here. It’s taken a while, but it’s getting there.’
The improvements have paid off in more ways than one, with the home’s energy rating rising from an E to a B. ‘For a building that’s almost 200 years old, that’s amazing,’ he says. ‘I wanted to make sure it lasts for another 200 years.’
As for whether he’d do it all again? He doesn’t hesitate. ‘Never again,’ he laughs. ‘It was too stressful.’ But there’s no regrets. ‘It’s been one of the biggest lessons I’ve ever learned. But also one of the biggest rewards.’.
Ranj’s new children’s book, Dr Ranj’s Human Body Encyclopedia, is out this month.
Suppliers & shopping
Paint: coatpaints.com
Flooring: karndean.com
Artwork: thomaswolski.com
Sofas: dusk.com
Kitchen: kutchenhaus.com
Kitchen tap: blanco.co.uk
Appliances: aeg.co.uk
Beds: sleepeezee.com
Main bathroom: wickes.co.uk
Master bedroom chandeliers: coachhouse.com
Plants: summerseatgardencentre.co.uk
Electrician: everythingelectricltd.co.uk
Stone and brickwork: archerbrickandstone.co.uk