TV host Nick Knowles is moving from do it yourself to “I do” after becoming engaged to his girlfriend, who is half his age.

The rugged star of the BBC1 makeover show DIY SOS popped the question to Jessica Rose – whom he has been dating for two years – on a trip to South Africa.

Mr Knowles, 49, told Hello! magazine how he fixed up a romantic meal at the Shamwari Game Reserve to spring his proposal.

The presenter – an old pal of Jessica’s parents – said: “I arranged for the first course to be her favourite pasta – but a bigger portion because I wanted to propose after the starter and I knew she wouldn’t eat afterwards.

“While she was eating I was getting nervous because, no matter how confident you are, you can’t be arrogant enough to assume you’re definitely going to get a ‘yes’.”

The diamond and platinum ring was flown out to South Africa by a friend, so his secret was not rumbled by customs.

But Rose could still sense that something was on the cards. She said: “We sat down and there were two smiley waitresses, rose petals on the floor, a roaring fire. They poured us each a glass of champagne, but Nick doesn’t normally drink champagne.

“Then he asked, ‘If you stopped eating now, would you be full?’ which I thought was really odd. I put my fork down and the waitress whipped my plate away.

“Once she’d left the room, Nick came round to the side of the table, knelt down in front of me and opened a box to reveal the most beautiful ring, and asked me to be his wife.

“I couldn’t speak – it was so surreal and dreamlike – so he said, ‘Will you say ‘Yes’?’ I did, and then I cried for 10 minutes.”

Mr Knowles, whose eldest child Charlie is only six years younger said: “She makes me so happy and I am a very lucky man.”