Introducing the first ‘Flat Pack World Champion’ at Grand Designs Live

The first flat pack champion was crowned on Friday, at Grand Designs Live at ExCel London

By Paisley Tedder | 8 May 2025

Grand Designs Live returned to ExCel London last week, running 2-5 May and, kicking the show-stopping event off in style, the world’s first flat pack champion was crowned.

The woman, from Wigan said she was ‘thrilled’ to have won – and was among eight other competitors who battled it out to build flatpack furniture as fast as they could.

The competition took place on Friday 2 May at the opening of Grand Designs Live and was split up into two rounds – with competitors battling it out against the clock to construct flatpacked bookcases and bedside tables.

Winner receiving her prize from Kevin McCloud at Grand Designs Live

Photo: Grand Designs Live

New flatpack-assembling champion Hayley McAuley, took just nine minutes and 33 seconds to build a bedside table – proving she had both the speed and the determination needed to become a world record holder.

She said: “When I first heard about the competition I jumped at the chance to enter as I’ve always thought I’m a bit of a machine when it comes to building flatpack furniture.”

True to Grand Designs style, Hayley was presented a golden Allen key medal and congratulated by our very own Grand Designs icon, Kevin McCloud.

Kevin said: “This was great fun and hugely amusing. It was wonderful to see who took this seriously, and who accidentally sabotaged their own attempts to win.”

“We had a really spectacular audience who found it hugely entertaining.”