Ben Shephard has splashed out £3.5million on a gorgeous new home that was formerly the official residence of a bishop.

While a number of ITV‘s daytime stars may be considering downsizing in the wake of slashed budgets and job losses, Shephard, 50, is moving up in the world.

The TV presenter purchased the huge new property in an idyllic riverside setting in west London after upgrading from his former home nearby.

But there’s a hitch that comes with his dream home which has left Ben in something of a pickle: despite its size there is no driveway or back access and the only way in is through a small front gate.

And there is a public footpath right next to the property where passers-by can peer into the garden through a side gate.

The lack of access at the rear is going to make doing any building work to modernise the Grade II listed building difficult to arrange.

A source said: ‘It’s an absolutely beautiful house. But the layout means that if he wants to do any substantive works to alter it – and it does need updating – then he will have problems getting larger materials or the machinery in.

‘The only way in is via a relatively tiny front gate and as it’s listed he’s going to struggle to change the layout to alter that.

‘So good luck to his architect and builder!

 ‘I suspect that’s why it needs updating – because it’s so difficult to find a way to manage it.

 ‘But that headache aside, Ben and Annie are thrilled with it.’

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Dream home: Ben has lived in the area for years so will have passed his new home many times

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Happy couple: Ben and Annie are said to be thrilled at their forever home purchase

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Hot property: Ben has been showing off his buff body in the media while behind the scenes arranging a new house purchase

‘It’s the only blot on the horizon for them on what is otherwise their dream home so he’s hoping to find some solution.’

Shephard was handed a big pay rise when he teamed up with Cat Deeley last year to take over as hosts of This Morning – replacing longtime presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.

The pair are reportedly each earning around £550,000-a-year to present the programme four days a week.

Now it appears Shephard – who is estimated to be worth around £3.6 million – is investing some of the cash in his new pad.

The move is said to have been overseen by wife Annie, a design consultant specialising in interiors and gardens.

She spent a year lovingly transforming the couple’s former home in Richmond into a stunning dream house.

And the couple may see their new house as something of ‘a project’.

There’s plenty of scope to re-style the somewhat staid interiors of the former ecclesiastical residence where a number of rooms downstairs were used as offices and formal reception rooms.

After it went on the market, estate agents were singing the praises of the ‘iconic house’ which is described as being in an ‘unrivalled setting’.

But hinting that there was work to be done, they added that it was ‘waiting to be transformed into a wonderful family home’.

The large detached property, which is thought to be 300 years old, was originally the home of Thomas Twining, who made his fortune in the tea trade after setting up his first tea house in 1706 in Devereux Court near the Strand in London.

It remained the family home for seven generations until artist and social reformer Elizabeth Twining bequeathed the property to the church after her death in 1889.

The house was used as a rather grand vicarage before going on to become the offices and residence for a bishop.

The 10-bedroomed property, which is located in a riverside conservation area, comprises almost 6,000 square feet of accommodation.

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Spacious: the new Shepherd family home is understood to be more substantive than their last house

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Good morning Britain: where the breakfast TV star will have his own breakfast

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Happy couple: Ben and Annie are thrilled with their dream home purchase

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Ben and his sons enjoy a dip – and now they will have the Thames on their doorstep

Estate agents highlighted how it offered buyers ‘an exceptional opportunity’ after coming on the market ‘for the first time in three centuries’.

The property is set close to the River Thames with a large Grade ll-listed church on one side and an historic park and gardens on the other.

The location is said to have once been ‘favoured by royalty for summer retreats’.

The house is described as having ‘an elegant period façade with an ornate entrance canopy and unique sundial feature’ above the front door.

Inside, the property has retained much of the original period detailing with ‘superb ceiling heights, fireplaces and a magnificent entrance hall and wood carved staircase’.

Downstairs, while most of the rooms had been configured as office and reception rooms, there’s also a living room, dining room, kitchen and utility room.

There are six bedrooms and two bathrooms on the first floor while a second floor annexe features three further bedrooms and another room which had been turned into an office.

According to a glossy estate agent’s brochure the gardens at the property ‘wrap around three sides of the house and offer scope, with landscaping, to create a fabulous outdoor amenity’.

The brochure added the sale offered ‘an exceptionally rare opportunity to create a truly unique and impressive family home in a superb location’.

It added: ‘With its stunning riverside location, rich history, and excellent connectivity, this property offers a unique blend of past and present, making it a home that truly stands out from the ordinary.’

The only downside of the property is that its close proximity to the church and graveyard with a footpath running between them means there’s no car parking space and limited access to its back door.

A source close to Shephard – who also presents ITV quiz show Tipping Point and Ninja Warrior UK – said: ‘Even the removal van got stuck as everyone has to come to the front.

‘Because the rear of the house lies close to the church pathway we have to use the front as the main access to the house.’

Annie appears to have already set to work on the property and this week took delivery of three large packages brought to the house in a courier van.

Shephard met Annie while they were both studying at the University of Birmingham in 1995.

Setting out to be an actor, Shephard achieved a BA honours degree in Dance, Drama and Theatre Arts while Annie studied Philosophy.

The couple who married in Burgh Island off the coast of Devon in 2004 have two sons – Jack, 19, and Sam, 18.

Essex-born Shephard went on to forge a successful career in TV – hosting some of Britain’s best loved shows including working as a main anchor on Good Morning Britain.

He once made a cameo appearance in an episode of US hit TV comedy Friends where he was credited as ‘Man with Microphone’.

Meanwhile Annie worked for fashion and interior design magazines working her way to advertising manager while hosting ‘glamorous parties, fabulous conferences’ and award events.

After becoming a mum Annie – who describes herself as ‘a welly wearing veg grower’ – combined raising her children over 18 years with ‘knocking down and remodelling houses and running big renovation projects’.

She once wrote on her website: ‘I’ve studied hard and taken excellent courses, so I’ve learned both the theory of design and I’ve also learned the hard way, by creating from the ground up, wellies on and spade in hand.

‘After a few mistakes and a few more successes, my friends started to ask for help with their own interiors and gardens.’

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The day job: Ben with co-star Cat Deeley at work on the ITV show

In 201,6 the couple bought their home in Richmond and Shephard occasionally shared photos on social media of his family life away from the limelight.

Images posted during Covid lockdown at their previous home showed off their spectacular sprawling gardens which came complete with ‘gin bench’, fire pit and rose-filled archways.

The garden also featured an immaculate lawn, bronze sculptures and an area where the family grew their own vegetables.

Last week Shephard proved that away from the studio he’s no sofa slouch as he showed off his incredible physique on the front cover of Men’s Health magazine.

Shephard told how he keeps in shape trying to keep up with his sons in workouts.

He said: ‘I’ve really, really enjoyed proving to my 18-year-old and 19-year-old sons that I can still compete with them. We love training together.’

Shephard said his biggest challenge was coping with the endless supply of pastries, treats and calorific meals cooked up by TV chefs on This Morning.