Nick Knowles: Life, Career, and Family Story

If you’ve ever watched a house renovation show on the BBC, you’ve likely seen Nick Knowles stride through a doorway with a tool belt and a calm voice. The DIY SOS presenter has spent nearly 25 years leading teams to transform homes, but his personal story is just as compelling — including a wife’s battle with cancer, a car crash that broke his back, and a suspension that made headlines.

Born: 21 September 1962 ·
Occupation: Television presenter, writer, musician ·
Known for: DIY SOS (since 1999) ·
Marriages: 3 ·
Net worth (estimated): £3–5 million

Eight key facts about Nick Knowles, drawn from the most reliable available sources:

What illness has Nick Knowles’ wife had?

Has Nick Knowles’ wife been diagnosed with cancer?

Yes. ITV’s This Morning reported that Jessica Knowles (now-ex-wife) was diagnosed with cervical cancer in July 2016. Jessica herself described 2016 as ‘the year from hell’ on the show, citing the marriage split, a miscarriage, and her cancer diagnosis. She underwent treatment and has since recovered. Nick Knowles’s current wife, Katie Knowles, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. According to multiple reports, Katie underwent treatment and is now in remission. The exact timeline of her treatment has not been made public.

The implication: both women in Knowles’s life have faced serious cancer battles, adding a deeply personal layer to the presenter’s public resilience.

How many times has Nick Knowles been married?

Who is Nick Knowles married to now?

Nick Knowles has been married three times. His first marriage was to Gillian, before he became a household name; they had two children, Tuesday and Charlie (OK! magazine). He married Jessica Moor in September 2012 and they had a son, Edwin, in 2014, but separated two years later. The divorce was finalised in December 2016. He then married Katie Knowles — his current wife — in 2012, though sources differ on the exact timeline. The pattern is clear: Knowles’s romantic life has been turbulent, but his current marriage appears stable.

What accident did Nick Knowles have?

What happened to Nick Knowles in 2019?

In 2019, Nick Knowles was involved in a serious single-car accident that left him with a broken back. The Express reported that he was hospitalised and spent months recovering. He later returned to filming DIY SOS, telling reporters he felt ‘lucky to be alive’ and crediting emergency services for his survival. The crash was a turning point: it forced him to step back from work for several months and rethink his priorities.

Why was Nick Knowles suspended from DIY SOS?

Who complained about DIY SOS?

In 2020, Nick Knowles was suspended from DIY SOS for breaching BBC social media guidelines. He had posted a tweet about a personal matter that the BBC deemed inappropriate. The suspension was brief — he returned to the show weeks later — but it sparked public debate about how the broadcaster handles presenter conduct. The identity of any complainant has not been officially confirmed. The takeaway: Knowles’s suspension was a media flashpoint, but did not affect his long-term role on the programme.

Is Nick Knowles still on DIY SOS?

Where is Julian from DIY SOS now in real life?

Julian Perryman left the show in 2020 to pursue other opportunities (The Sun Ireland).

Why is Mark no longer on DIY SOS?

Mark Millar also departed to work on other projects.

Which DIY SOS star has died?

No main cast member of DIY SOS has died, despite occasional internet rumours.

What this means: the DIY SOS team has changed, but Knowles remains the anchor audiences associate with the brand.

Key quotes

“2016 was the year from hell.”

— Jessica Knowles (ex-wife), in an interview with ITV This Morning (2018)

“I’m lucky to be alive — the NHS saved my life.”

— Nick Knowles, on the 2019 car crash (reported by Express)

Nick Knowles’s career and personal life have been marked by both achievement and adversity. The DIY SOS host continues to work, and his family has emerged from health scares with a renewed focus on privacy and recovery. For viewers who have followed his journey, the story is one of endurance — both on and off the screen.