Alan Carr plans antique shopping trip to furnish his castle as he jokes he can't put a futon in the turrets

By JOHN PAUL BRESLIN, WEEKEND NEWS EDITOR - SCOTLAND Published: 19:17, 8 August 2026 | Updated: 19:18, 8 August 2026 Alan Carr is planning to go ‘antique shopping’ to furnish his £3.3 million castle in Scotland – weeks after flogging a haul of furniture from the stately pile. The Celebrity Traitors winner snapped up 17-bedroom Ayton Castle in Berwickshire earlier this year. And last month he auctioned off hundreds of items that came with the property, including beds, wardrobes, side tables and other furniture. However, while those items might not have been to his taste, the chat show host said he plans to buy similarly aged pieces to furnish his home. In a discussion on his Life’s a Beach podcast with fellow comedian Sally Phillips, who starred in sketch show Smack the Pony, Carr said: ‘Listen, I’ve got space, I’ve got room and everything. But, you know, when you buy a castle, no one has any sympathy for you. ‘I say, the electricity bill, the gas bill. No one cares. Like, don’t buy a castle then.’ He added: ‘I have to fill it because all I’ve got is bits from Ikea. So, I do need to go antique shopping. It looks weird having a futon in one of the turrets.’ Alan Carr says he loves living in Scotland Carr bought the 19th century 17-bedroom Ayton Castle for £3.3million During their chat, Carr also invited Phillips to visit. He said: ‘When are you coming to stay? It’s got lots of bedrooms.’ Phillips said: ‘If you invite me, I’ll come. I love Scotland, it’s the best. I have this fantasy of retiring to Mull or Iona.’ Carr also confirmed that he will use the castle as his home and shot down any claims that he plans to turn it into a hotel. He told The Mirror: ‘I have to pinch myself. The castle is great, brilliant. Everyone thinks it’s a gimmick but I am living there! It’s really exciting. I love it there. It’s got dog-friendly beaches, the people are lovely, it’s so nice.’ After first buying the castle, Carr was left shocked by news reports that he would turn it into a business. He added: ‘They said it would become a hotel with a leisure centre and spa when it’s actually my permanent home. ‘Now I’ve been sent lots of CVs from lifeguards and someone even gifted me a hot tub. But it’s Grade A listed so I’ve had to send it back.’ Set in more than 160 acres, 19th century Ayton Castle is regarded as one of the country’s finest baronial-style stately homes. Carr’s castle makeover is being documented by streaming channel Disney+.