FOR years, Changing Rooms has been one of the great TV successes. But now, the show has moved away from its usual place in semi-detached suburbia - and into the Upstairs Downstairs world of the landed gentry.

Tonight, viewers will get to see something of the way other people live - at Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, the stately home of Sir Thomas and Lady Ingilby.

Sir Thomas will be seen teaming up with designer Gordon Whitstance, a newcomer to the show, and Patsy Campbell, the receptionist at the estate's own hotel, the Boar's Head.

Lady Ingilby, teams up with the flamboyant Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Steve Chesnutt, manager of the hotel.

The rooms undergoing a makeover will be a bedroom in the Grade II-listed Chantry House - home to Steve - and the living room of the Grade I-listed castle gatehouse, which is home to Patsy.

Despite it being his first show, Gordon refuses to play safe with his ideas and meets a few problems along the way.

In particular, his plans for the flooring went seriously askew and the paste he create to use on the walls simply refused to work. It was only some very quick thinking that finally rectified the problem.

At the same time, across at the gatehouse, Laurence planned to brighten up the sitting room and came up with a wisteria colour scheme that did not go down at all well with Lady Ingilby.

At the end of filming Gordon was ecstatic about his debut on the show. "What an incredible way to start on Changing Rooms, working in the grounds of one of the country's most beautiful castles," he said.

Despite the show's history of leaving former friends at loggerheads with each other, this is one edition that appears not to end in tears.

For perhaps Sir Thomas was giving the game away when he said: "Good fun was had by all. The staff are thrilled with their new rooms and have retained them in exactly the same form."

The show will be broadcast tonight on BBC1 at 8.30pm