Your Home in Their Hands is the type of television show you end up watching through your fingers with your toes curled.

For the uninitiated, it’s a makeover programme in which desperate homeowners hand over their door keys to amateur interior designers in the hope they can solve their design dilemmas. Needless to say it often ends in tears.

Presenter Celia Sawyer, a high end interior designer who lives in a multi-million pound property in Sandbanks, certainly doesn’t pull any punches.

But she is quick to hit back at claims the show is cruel.

“It’s important to remember that it is an entertainment show and that everyone involved has volunteered – no one has been forced to take part,” she explains.

“I know people do get upset sometimes, and it is very stressful for an amateur designer, but at the end of the day you have got to be able to cope with that if you want to do it properly. That’s just the name of the game.”

Although she’s direct, viewers may be surprised to know that Celia shows a softer side off screen.

She even jokes about her fear of being spotted in the local supermarket with a hole in her jogging bottoms.

It’s hard to imagine the immaculately-turned out mother of two would ever dream of stepping out in anything less than full-on in-your-face glamour.

“No I do need to buy some new gym gear,” she insists. “If I read on twitter that someone’s just spotted me, I always hope that I brushed my hair.”

Whatever you think of her, Celia does know what she’s talking about when it comes to interior design.

She has been in the business for ten years and her clients include a number of high profile celebrities and footballers.

The secret of her success, she says, is listening to the client.

“That’s where some designers fall down – they don’t listen to what the client really wants. You also have to be on time, on budget and concentrate on getting the job done properly.”

Celia who is also an expert on Channel 4’s programme Four Rooms, describes her style as “classic, contemporary with a little quirkiness.”

“It’s quite nice to mix it up, to put something interesting that no one else will find. I found Hitler’s toilet once for a client in Four Rooms but I didn’t buy it – it wasn’t really my sort of thing!”

Closer to home in Poole, Celia has just finished working on a house in Lilliput which she says is due to go on the market for around £7m-£8m.

She also has her own furniture range Cool 10 which she describes as affordable luxury.

“Everything is made in the UK and much of it locally sourced too.”

So not only is she a mother of two, an interior designer, TV presenter, she is also an entrepreneur. How does she fit it all in?

“Being well organised, having a good PA around you, and getting up early. I get up at 5am and go for a run and then I can start my day.

“It is such a lovely area to live in and great for my children – I’m always flying the flag for this area.”

Celia has lived in Sandbanks for eight years and now lives by the waterfront with her husband and children, Lily, 15 and Jack, 12.

But can she ever just switch off when she’s at home and refrain from re-arranging the furniture every five minutes?

“I quite like my house at the moment. If I make a piece of furniture for a client and it looks really nice in their house, I think I must make one like that for my home when I get some time, which of course I never do.”

She is also getting used to a more high profile role.

“I do get recognised more. It is part of the deal. Most people are very nice. My children think it’s fun, although my son gets a bit bored watching my stuff!”

And it looks as if we will be seeing plenty more of Celia Sawyer as she has more projects in the pipeline including her own jewellery line and possibly a clothing range too.

She adds: “It is exciting because there are loads of opportunities out there – you just have to do something you enjoy.”

  • For more information visit celiasawyer.com or follow her on Twitter @CeliaSawyerTV