'You've allowed us to be a family again': DIY SOS comes to an emotional end after 27 years as volunteers rebuild dangerous home for mother who had breast cancer and her son, 11, who suffers 200 seizures a day

The parents of an 11-year-old with severe developmental difficulties broke down in tears on last night's episode of DIY SOS after 300 volunteers turned their 'dangerous' Kidderminster home into a safe, accessible haven for him. 

John and Emma's son Nathan was diagnosed with Tuberous Sclerosis type 2, refractory epilepsy (that cannot be controlled with medication) and autism, meaning he requires 'constant' care and supervision.

'Nathan's life is nothing like a normal 11-year-old's,' Emma said, explaining he functions like a baby and suffers 200 seizures a day.

The mother of two, who received treatment for breast cancer in 2017, shared that tantrum behaviours are a big part of TS-2 and that Nathan's aggressive outbursts can sometimes be difficult to control given their age and the size of their home.

John explained that Nathan is '11 or 12 stone of pure muscle when he wants to be', as Emma's 17-year-old daughter Kira expressed her fears about the family's future as they get 'older and weaker'.

These profound difficulties mean that John and Emma have had to make extraordinary sacrifices and dedicate every minute of their lives to Nathan in a house that 'was getting smaller and smaller' every day, Nick Knowles said.

'It's getting unmanageable, really,' Emma confessed to the broadcaster, but declared there was 'no way' they would put him into a care home and that renovation was their 'only option'.

Thankfully, the DIY SOS team and an army of volunteers were on hand in the final episode of the BBC's home renovation show to help John and Emma transform the home so that Nathan can 'reach his full potential'. 

Pictured: Emma (left) and John (right) and their 11-year-old son Nathan who has Tuberous Sclerosis type 2, refractory epilepsy (that cannot be controlled with medication) and autism, meaning he requires 'constant' care and supervision

Nick Knowles and some of the cast of DIY SOS. The final episode of the show aired tonight after 27 years 

Before the incredible renovation, one of the biggest risks was the house's 'steep and narrow' staircase, as John told Nick that he once fell and broke his foot trying to get Nathan up to his bedroom. 

That room needed major improvements too; John said he and Emma monitored Nathan '24x7' via a camera system in case he seized at night and also highlighted that it had become difficult to get him ready in the mornings.

During the tour, Emma, who underwent chemotherapy after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, told Nick that she craved the normalcy that families take for granted after enduring some of the toughest years of her life.

'I do get angry, you do think, 'Where could we have been?' she continued. 'But then Nathan is just ace.'

As Nick toured the property, he realised that John and Emma's lives centred completely around Nathan - leaving Kira feeling disconnected and deprived of family time.

'I get really upset for Kira, because she misses out. That's really hard to deal with,' Emma continued. 'We just try not to look too deeply into it; we just deal with what we've got.'

Determined to take 'some of the load' off John and Emma, Nick vowed to return with his volunteer builders and give them the home they deserve - especially considering Nathan's condition isn't going to get any easier.

As promised, Nick returned to Kidderminster five weeks later and met Emma and John, who appeared anxious that no one would answer his call for volunteers. That is until they saw a huge cluster of hard hats in the distance. 

Nathan in his old room. His bedroom needed major renovation to make it easier for his mother and father to look aft er him.

Pictured: Nathan's new room after 300 volunteers renovated the house. His bedroom downstairs and creating a bespoke bathroom on the same floor to eliminate the challenges of the staircase

Before the incredible renovation, one of the biggest risks was the house's 'steep and narrow' staircase, as John told Nick that he once fell and broke his foot trying to get Nathan up to his bedroom

A group of 300 volunteers, including electricians, plumbers and landscapers, were met with a tear-jerking message from the 'overwhelmed' couple. 

'Thank you so much, from the bottom of our hearts,' John said. 'This is just incredible. We're in shock and overwhelmed. This doesn't happen to us. We've been on our own for the past 11 years.' 

And in just eight days, the DIY SOS crew completely transformed their home while working to designer Gaby's ambitious plans. 

These included building Kira a stylish sanctuary ahead of starting university, helping her reconnect with her mother, bringing romance back into John and Emma's lives and, most importantly, giving Nathan all the room he needs to flourish.

The team widened the house's doorways and knocked down walls to create a 'beautiful but tough space' for the family of four. They added an extension to accommodate a dining space with a fixed table and a state-of-the-art kitchen.  

One of the biggest changes was moving Nathan's bedroom downstairs and creating a bespoke bathroom on the same floor to eliminate the challenges of the staircase. 

The team created a 'romantic, boutique hotel-style' bedroom for Emma and John, as well as reimaging the garden as a safe and relaxing space for someone with Nathan's needs. 

Upgrades included soft, rubber patios, play equipment and sensory plants, as well as a shed for Kira to bond with Emma while Nathan enjoys the new outdoor space. 

Nick shares a moment speaking to Emma. The mother underwent chemotherapy after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017

The show's volunteers reimagend the garden as a safe and relaxing space for someone with Nathan's needs

Nathan in his new bedroom. Before the renovation, Emma said that she craved the normalcy that families take for granted after enduring some of the toughest years of her life

Afterwards, Nathan joined his family to meet the builders who had given them their 'forever home' as tearful mum Emma tried to read out a 'thank you' note. 

But she passed it to her beloved husband when she became overcome with emotion, as John recited its contents: 'A thank you doesn't go deep enough for what you have done for us. 

'We really appreciate everyone of you, our lives will be improved from this moment on. Thanks to you, we've got our forever home for Nathan and for us. It allows him to reach his full potential, and you've given us the opportunity to be a family again.'

While Nathan's future is looking much brighter, DIY SOS's currently hangs in the balance after the BBC announced the popular home renovation programme will be rested in 2027 as part of the broadcaster's widely publicised £500million savings plan.

However, a Change.org petition to save the 'beloved' show has already surpassed 43,000 signatures, as viewers urged the BBC to reconsider its decision. 

'It is about time the BBC listened to its licence fee payers and kept these good, wholesome shows and stop palming us off with rubbish on our screens,' one message read. 

Another added: 'Losing this show wouldn't just mean losing incredible stories. It would mean losing the community, connection and purpose it gives to so many volunteers who turn up, time and time again, to make a difference.'

Supporters from around the UK bemoaned the loss of 'feel good TV' that 'gets people helping each other', with one person writing: 'We need more of it, not less!' 

An emotional Emma and John with Nick. While the future of the family's home is looking much brighter, DIY SOS's currently hangs in the balance after the BBC announced the popular home renovation programme will be rested in 2027

Viewers branded the BBC's decision a 'disgrace' and demanded DIY SOS 'stay on air' after a spokesperson for the Beeb confirmed the home renovation series will be put on pause next year. 

They told the Daily Mail: 'In light of the BBC's savings challenges, we have taken the decision to rest DIY SOS in 2027 and commission a new spin-off show instead from producers South Shore.

'DIY SOS Rebuilt My Life will revisit successes from the show's past and expand the brand on the BBC in a more cost-effective way next year.'

The show premiered in 1999 as a low-budget format fixing botched renovations.

In 2010, it evolved into DIY SOS: The Big Build, rallying local tradespeople and volunteers to completely transform homes for families dealing with severe illness or disability. Series 35 concluded with tonight's episode.