In the SVT program Husdrömmar, for eleven seasons we have been able to follow Swedes who realize their – yes you guessed it – house dreams. It can be about anything from noisy renovations to building something completely new from scratch.
The married couple chose the latter Drivstedt to do. Ausra and Patrick Drivstedt had his dream house built on Värmdö outside Stockholm.
Villa Drivstedt on Värmdö. The family has previously built and sold several houses. Image source: SVT
The budget for Villa Drivstedt was originally set at SEK 10 million. But due to blowouts and delays, costs quickly skyrocketed. The final bill totaled SEK 14 million.
But they seemed more than satisfied.
– This is our dream house, said Patrik Drivstedt in the program.
The presenters Anne Lundberg and Gert Wingårdh praised the feng shui-inspired house in unison. Anne spoke warmly of the flamboyant patio.
Anne Lundberg was impressed by the finished house on Värmdö. Image source: SVT
– I get jealous of this. It’s just to state, said Gert Wingårdh in Husdrömmar.
The episode with the Drivstedt family’s house was seen by 719,000 viewers, according to measurements from MMS that Nyheter24 took part in.
The Drivstedt family sold their house on Värmdö – the same week that Husdrömmar was broadcast on SVT
In the same week that SVT broadcast the episode that revolved around Villa Drivstedt, Ausra and Patrik made a real shock move. They chose to put the house up for sale on Hemnet.
Something that caused very strong reactions. First out was Express chronicler Anna Gullberg who believed that public service helped the family sell their luxury home.
The same week that the house was shown in the public service, it was put up for sale. Image source: Bjurfors
Shortly after, Nyheter24 was able to reveal that several reports had been received to the Review Board about the specific episode of Husdrömmar.
One outraged viewer wondered how it was possible for the sellers and brokers to get “an hour of free prime time public service advertising”. Other harsh words about the program read: “This is completely insane. This is corruption” and “That the program was even allowed to be broadcast on SVT is nothing but a shame and undermines trust in SVT”.
Gert Wingårdh and Anne Lundberg at home with the Drivstedt family. Ausra embraces Anne. The same week the episode aired, the family put the house up for sale. Cheeky, thought many viewers. Image source: SVT
READ MORE: House dreams are reported: “That SVT broadcast is a shame”
That the Drivstedt family chose to sell the house at the same time as it was shown in Husdrömmar was nothing that SVT ever wanted – but also not something they had the opportunity to stop.
In short, the channel seemed taken to bed.
Sindre Lind-Åkerblom is a marketer at SVT. She then told Nyheter24:
– SVT does not want houses that figure in Husdrömmar to be sold in connection with the program. SVT also does not select houses for the program where the owners have thoughts of selling when it is finished. If it still turns out that the owners need to sell, which can happen when you engage in ambitious house projects, SVT cannot prevent it. But then of course you must not take advantage of SVT’s or Husdrömmar’s brands in your advertising.
READ MORE: SVT critical of house sales: “Don’t want to”
Gert and Anne visit the Drivstedt couple’s house on Värmdö. Image source: SVT
Now Nyheter24 can tell you that the Board of Review has chosen not to proceed with several of the reports that have been received regarding the Drivstedt family’s house.
Helena Dal is the responsible communicator at the Review Board.
When asked why the committee decided not to take the reports further, she replies:
– The regulations that the committee applies do not regulate the content of the broadcasts in the respect raised in the report.
Several notifications about the Drivstedt family’s house
Criticism of the family putting the house up for sale that same week was not the only thing from the specific episode – which was titled “Runda hörn på Värmdö” – that provoked strong reactions from viewers.
Round corners on Värmdö is the Husdrömmar episode that attracted several reports to the Review Board. Image source: SVT
Before the start of construction of the house, the family hired a person who used the controversial method where you use metal sticks to find so-called “curry crosses and curry lines”.
Those who believe in curry kryss believe that there is something they call “earth radiation”.
When Ausra Drivstedt moved into her former house in Malmö, she suddenly had back pain. Ausra believes the back pain was caused by curry paste. Image source: SVT
– Above all, you want to avoid Currykryssen as far as possible when the house is to be placed on the plot. They are not measurable with scientific methods but are said to give rise to feelings of discomfort and a poorer well-being, said the presenter Anne Lundberg in the episode.
Several reports trickled in against the specific episode with the Drivstedt family’s house, where several viewers expressed dismay that the method was used in the program.
No decision has yet been reached by the Review Board regarding those reports.
Patrik and Ausra Drivstedt got their house sold – but it was a losing business for the sellers.
READ MORE: Viewer storm against Husdrömmar: “Pure hoax”