Studland’s seaweed spa in Dorset is riding the crest of a wave after getting a publicity boost that money can’t buy, from one of the BBC’s most popular daytime TV shows.
An episode of the top rated BBC property programme Escape to the Country followed presenter Sonali Shah trying to find a perfect home in Dorset for London couple Norman and Linda.
The BBC crew filmed near Peveril Point in June 2025
Jade, Dan and Sonali pose after filming for Escape to the Country
TV audience of up to 3 million
But while Sonali seems to have failed in her attempts on this occasion – the couple’s preferred property near Weymouth still remains up for sale nine months after filming took place – she found perfection of her own in Studland.
Up to three million people watch the daytime TV programme, which first screened on Tuesday 7th April 2026 and featured Sonali having a spa treatment at Sae Seaweed on Middle Beach, Studland.
The publicity could not have arrived at a better time for business owners Dan and Jade Scott, who have just opened a second spa on the site for 2026 and are about to launch their own range of seaweed inspired beauty products after incredible demand from customers.
The new line, including serums, moisturisers and face creams, is expected to launch in May and will use seaweed harvested by hand from along the Purbeck coast.
Dan Scott at the Middle Beach base of Studland’s Sae Seaweed spas
A second spa hut with two more seaweed baths has been added to the business for 2026 and beyond
“We knew it was time to grow”
Dan Scott said:
“We have not actually seen our slot on Escape to the Country yet, but we’re really looking forward to it!
“It’s not our first time on television, we have been on Nat Geo with Gordon Ramsay, Sky TV with Rob and Romesh and on ITV’s This Morning – it’s not so many that I’ve lost count yet, but I would have to use my fingers to help me work through it!
“It’s down to Jade’s cleverness in marketing and growing the company, it has organically developed since we got the commercial seaweed foraging licence from the Crown Estate.
“We have opened a second bath house because we know people have tried to visit us on weekends and found us fully booked – and while we never want to lose the intimacy of what we’ve created here, we knew it was time to grow.
“There’s also a range of beauty products coming out – serums, body moisturisers, face creams, and more, due to launch around the end of May, so timing wise, the exposure on television was perfect for us.”
Sonali had to earn her spa treatment – by first joining Dan to harvest some seaweed!
“Sonali really enjoyed her experience”
Dan added:
“Sonali really enjoyed her experience, she genuinely had such a wonderful time and the actual filming was such a laugh – they are genuine people, so friendly and down to earth, and Sonali was really looking forward to having the seaweed soak.
“But first I took her out to Peveril Point, at the edge of Durlston Bay, to harvest the seaweed that we would use for her spa experience.
“Our licence to forage covers us from Old Harry all the way down to Portland Bill, it’s a massive patch and I can spend about three hours on a trip to collect and prep the seaweed, rinsing it and putting it in our drying room.
“Jade always had the idea to make a range of beauty products. We started out by making our own for use here, but to get them onto the shelves for general sale you need to follow various industry standard practices, and it takes a while.
“We have had a lot of requests for the products we use, most customers want to take a product away with them after their seaweed spa. We had a really lovely email yesterday which said, ‘My face needs you – my skin has never felt so good since having the bath!'”
Jade and Dan Scott are growing their Dorset seaweed business with a second spa shack and a range of seaweed cosmetics
“For me, it brought genuine relief”
Jade Scott said:
“For the past year I’ve been quietly working with a natural skincare lab and cosmetic chemist to create something close to my heart – our Sae Seaweed skincare range.
“Living with severe allergies and long term health conditions, I struggled to find skincare that was natural, effective and safe for me to use, so I decided to create my own.
“I found myself turning to nature when conventional options didn’t feel right for my body and discovered seaweed baths, an ancient coastal ritual that had been used for centuries to ease muscle pain, calm inflamed skin, and support deep nervous system rest.
“When warmed, our hand harvested seaweed releases mineral rich oils packed with magnesium to soothe, iodine to detoxify, and antioxidants your skin absorbs. For me, it brought genuine relief.”
Sonali loved her seaweed spa experience, which featured on Escape to the Country
“I’m excited to share it with everyone!”
Jade added:
“What began as something deeply personal became something I wanted to share, especially with others seeking a more considered, nature led way to unwind and restore.
“Each product in our range is made using seaweed we hand harvest from the Dorset Coast under our Crown Estate licence, all free from parabens and silicones, and formulated for sensitive, allergy prone skin like mine.
“I am thrilled about the upcoming launch of our new product line after an extensive development process, from selecting the right ingredients to ensuring every production step is sustainable.
“I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with a local company and a cosmetic chemist who specialise in using only natural ingredients.
“As part of my personal health management, I prioritise natural products due to my sensitivity to artificial ingredients, which can trigger severe anaphylactic reactions.
“This made it essential for me to create a toxin free product line, locally crafted in Dorset, using our own hand harvested seaweed from our shores, and I’m excited to share it with everyone soon!”
London couple Norman and Linda on Swanage Beach with Sonali
Interview on Swanage beach
Sonali Shah experienced the Sae Seaweed spa in June 2025 during filming in Dorset for an episode of Escape to the Country, which she has been presenting for the past 12 years.
London couple Norman and Linda were looking for a bungalow in Dorset for around £725,000, with three bedrooms, a large kitchen diner, a conservatory and a garden where they could keep chickens – and preferably close to a stream!
They were shown properties in Blandford Forum, Tarrant Gunville, and Portesham near Weymouth – the latter of which ticked all the boxes, even down to a stream running through the garden.
During an interview on Swanage Beach, the couple said they had fallen in love with the mystery house at Portesham and were 99.999 percent certain to buy it, arranging a second viewing the following day.
No update was given on the TV show, which is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer, but the property remains up for sale with estate agents and has since fallen in price to £590,000.
The horseshoe shaped bungalow with a stream in the back garden which Norman and Linda loved so much, is still on the market
Further information
- More about Studland’s Sae Seaweed
- Watch the Dorset edition of Escape to the Country, series 26, episode 41 on BBC iPlayer
- Check out the horseshoe shaped bungalow in Portesham, still available to buy on Rightmove
