Nick Knowles reveals how he helped Captain Tom Moore feel safe and possibility of 'DIY SOS' coronavirus special

Nick Knowles recently revealed he had been called upon to help out Captain Tom Moore due to the press attention surrounding him and his family.

Now, he's given details on what he was able to do for the family who were feeling ‘a bit of pressure’ due to the huge amount of media interest on the ex-serviceman attempting to raise money for the NHS by completing 100 laps of his garden.

Speaking with Yahoo UK, Knowles shared: "It was something I did remotely.

Read more: Captain Tom Moore shares touching message on 100th birthday

“Somebody contacted me, a friend of a friend of theirs contacted me to say that while they were incredibly happy about the amount of attention that there was in terms of fundraising and the money that was being raised - it's an incredible amount of money and he did an extraordinary thing, and in terms of pulling the country together and being that figurehead for the response, I think was marvellous - but it also came with an avalanche of attention and the world's press sort of camped outside which I think can be quite frightening and quite intimidating."

He went on: "So I was able to get some friends in the building industry, luckily I've got a massive contact book there, and friend called Louise who works in the fencing industry managed to pull together a team that could go down and put up a fence to protect him and his family and make them feel a bit more secure along the front of their property."

Captain Tom has raised over £32 million through his fundraising page after pledging to walk 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, which took place on 30 April.

He made headlines around the world with his efforts to help the NHS in the wake of the coronavirus crisis and with the family inundated with press requests, Knowles sorted out someone who could manage that for them.

"I was able to line up somebody a proper PR person who could actually look after and help them with handling the world's press, which actually may sound like a very small thing but it's very stressful because obviously they were getting calls morning, noon and night and barely sleeping and actually having somebody who knows how to control that helped enormously.

"So that's really it, I was able to help them so that they could organise a bit better and feel a bit more protected, a bit safer and sleep a bit better. So I was very pleased," Knowles divulged.

The 57-year-old, who is an ambassador for Walking With The Wounded, has worked closely with veterans in the past in other ways having helped build Veterans Village in Manchester several years ago.

Read more: Nick Knowles reflects on working with ‘inspiring’ Royals on DIY SOS

Knowles has been able to help many who are in need via the BBC programme. In the past the show has helped those deserving of new facilities or home renovations, including a special build for the community affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.

Now, Knowles has addressed whether a project will be undertaken in the future as a result of the coronavirus and those it has affected.

"If we can find something that is genuinely, genuinely helpful and isn't just the token gesture, then yes, we'll do it," he said.

Knowles noted that the programme approached the Grenfell project with the same attitude, in order to give people what they were really in need of.

"We spent six months, in fact more than six months, in consultation with the families and the residents in the area to find out what they needed and what they felt was most important to them that we could build," he explained.

The host shared that he is wary of the programme getting involved as a token effort, as they want it to be something that's needed and will endure.

Knowles continued: "Television is sometimes in danger of making a token gesture and then disappearing and I think if we could find something that was of genuine use and and was genuine need post coronavirus, then yes, we will build it but I don't think there's any point in getting involved in something as a token effort."