This month sees filming begins on the Isle of Ulva for a new six part BBC Scotland series called Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel. The series follows designer Banjo Beale and his husband Ro as they attempt to turn the crumbling Ulva House into a boutique hotel.
The island mansion on the Isle of Ulva, which has a population of 14, 16 including Banjo and Ro, is a Regency-era property, which had fallen into disrepair until it was bought by the local community in 2018.
Now Banjo and Ro hope to transform the fortunes of the crumbling house and the island community. The six-part series will chart the challenges of restoring a historic building in a remote location, with limited budget, unpredictable weather and island infrastructure all part of the story.
Filming will continue through to October, with the programme expected to air in 2026. Along the way, the couple – who have relocated to Ulva along with Grampa the dog as well as their chickens and pigs – will face the challenges of remote island life and a limited budget but these two dreamers are determined to transform the crumbling mansion into a stunning destination hotel.
Says Banjo, “This is my biggest project yet with an absolute nightmare of a client – myself. Ro and I have officially lost the plot. We’re going to try and rescue a crumbling, abandoned manor on the wild and windswept Isle of Ulva. With 16 residents, no roads and no clue how we’re going to pull it off, it’s going to be my boldest and muddiest adventure yet. There’ll be midges, madness, and hopefully a miracle or two.”
Banjo’s husband Ro adds, “I thought we were just here for a quiet escape, next thing I know, I’m knee-deep in filth, chasing pigs out of the hallway, and somehow in charge of sourcing vintage chandelier crystals from 1855. Banjo calls it a vision; I call it grounds for divorce.”
The project, set against the backdrop of Scotland’s growing interest in community-owned heritage and sustainable tourism, will be documented in full on BBC iPlayer and BBC Scotland.
In the meantime, updates are being shared via Banjo Beale’s Instagram and the Grand Island Hotel page. Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel is a Hello Halo production for BBC Scotland.
