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Interiors Editor Carole Annett gets tips from top design experts. This week's guest: Tara Bernerd
Welcome to the new series of the House Guest podcast where C&TH Interiors Editor Carole Annett chats with experts from the world of interior design and decoration, the people behind the houses and hotels you see in glossy magazines like ours. Enjoy!
‘When we talk about hotels, we talk about building soulful places at scale and you have to feel a connection,’ says Tara Bernerd, founder and head of a globally-renowned multi-disciplinary design studio Tara Bernerd & Partners. Tune in to hear more about her projects including the stunning Maroma – a Belmond hotel on the Maya Riviera in Mexico – her collaboration with Italian brand Frette, the time she met Robert Redford in an elevator, and why she’s learning all the time.
From the Alps to Mallorca, Mélie Dunod’s August Collections bring elegance, efficiency and eco-conscious design to co-ownership, making the European holiday home dream much more attainable. The chic co-founder of August chats to Carole Annett about why becoming an entrepreneur was inevitable, what the tick-box is for each property August buys, and why she never asks for preferences or advice on the interior design. Tune in for more.
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The first House Guest podcast of our new series is interior design supremo Kelly Hoppen. Renowned for her love of neutrals – ‘They are good for your state of mind,’ she says – Kelly tells Carole Annett about her East meets West philosophy, what happened when she met her design icon, Ralph Lauren, how excited she is about creating the ultimate home on the high street with her M&S collections, and why 2026 will be pivotal for her career. The podcast was recorded in December 2025.
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Is this the future of vintage furniture shopping? This week, Carole sits down with Portuguese interior designer Barbara Neto to hear about how she’s challenging the design industry’s status quo with the launch of Curiouz. Describing the brand as more than a marketplace, but a movement, the AI powered platform is designed to revolutionise vintage furniture shopping. Born out of her own frustrations as a seller and consumer (never sure if the information she was given about items were correct or how they would arrive), she created Curiouz so that designers could finally shop and sell with confidence.
‘I think the only thing I can rely on is my intuition and instinct,’ says this week’s house guest Irishman Shayne Brady. A recurring guest on BBC Interior Design Masters (they can’t get enough of him and who can blame them), Shayne has recently consciously uncoupled from Brady Williams, the studio he set up with his former business partner Emily over 13 years ago (they still talk most days).
He has taken his commercial clients, including restaurant supremo Jeremy King, into the new studio. Among his many projects is the soon to reopen Simpson’s in the Strand. Shayne had me giggling most of the afternoon – loved my time with him. Tune in for more.
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This week Carole Annett sits down with interior designer Guy Goodfellow in his stunning London townhouse. Guy and his team of architects and designers are renowned for creating comfortable and inviting spaces in grand and historic estates. Armed with his passion for detail, in this episode he and Carole discuss how to imbue modern properties with historic character, and how to add a contemporary edge to older homes.
This week, Carole sits down with mirror master Dominic Schuster to discuss how he designs his antiqued and gilded mirror glass. With Decorex just around the corner, he explains how he transformed from a decorative antiques restorer to a mirror expert, talks his new furniture and lighting collection and shares some exciting upcoming projects.
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Sophie Paterson is a tour de force in the world of interior design. For the past 16 years she has built a reputation for creating homes that blend comfort with sophistication. Generous with her knowledge to her (almost one million) followers on social media, she has recently launched an online academy with ‘everything I wish I had been told when I started a career in design’. Down to earth, honest and easy going, she loves a car boot sale and is currently drawing every dog she’s ever been acquainted with (including my own lurcher) for a special wallpaper launch. Sophie is always a delight to chat to. Tune in for more.
Natalia Miyar never wanted to have a house style, rather she seeks to tell the personal story of her clients. Carole catches up with the in-demand interior designer (whose work is currently taking her around the world) to discuss the challenge of expressing a client’s personality, as well as how she strikes a balance between aspiration and familiarity in her designs.
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This week, Carole visits design studio Albion Nord to discover how the brand has redefined luxury through their pared-back aesthetic. Sitting down with director Ben Johnson and associate Becky Floyd, they discuss how the British landscape inspired their design of the Brittanic Explorer train.
This week’s House Guest is Studio Suss founder Simone Suss, a specialist in creating contemporary spaces that balance function, elegance and environmental responsibility. ‘The UK throws away 22million pieces of furniture every year, over 670,000 tonnes’, she says. ‘The design industry needs to be aware and to do something about it.’ Tune in for more about Simone’s approach to regenerative design.
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‘I’m completely driven by curiosity,’ says Suzy Hoodless in the final episode of this House Guest series. Since her studio launched in 2000, Suzy has become one of the UK’s most exciting designers. She chats to Carole Annett about her signature style, her work at WOW!House, and how the interior design industry has changed.
Today’s House Guests are Sophie Eadie and Fi Crole, founders of design studio Eadie & Crole. They chat to Carole Annett about how they met, where they find design inspiration, and their new fabric collection.
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This week’s House Guest is Lee Lovett, co-founder and creative director of Soho Lighting. She shares her best lighting tips, discusses the evolution of the business, and gives us the rundown on their brand new collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces.
Today’s House Guest is Frieda Gormley, co-founder of House of Hackney. Frieda set up the luxury interiors brand 13 years ago with her husband, Javvy M Royle, and the pair quickly ripped up the rulebook, reworking traditional print and colour for a new generation. Carole Annett chats to Frieda about creating heirloom pieces and developing a regenerative brand.
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This week’s House Guest is Clint Nagata, founder and creative partner of the award-winning BLINK Design Group. He chats to Carole Annett about his passion for travel and the origins of his latest project: Six Senses Loire Valley.
From Manhattan townhouses to sprawling country homes, Rita Konig is known for her no-nonsense approach to interior design. She chats to Carole Annett about her own house renovation, and talks through her online decorating course with Create Academy.
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‘I loved houses – I watched all the programmes and bought all the magazines’, says Alex Dauley. As a young mother of two with a part-time job, she hadn’t considered pursuing a career in interiors until her husband persuaded her to find a course and follow her passion. Her studio is now ten years old; amongst a host of current clients, including a project for Capitol Records, she is designing the first ever media room at WOW House, entitled Date Night – a sumptuous, grown-up room that perfectly suits her ‘introvert, extrovert’ (Alex’s words) personality.
With Christmas and Thanksgiving in mind, our thoughts turn to entertaining – and who better than Joseph Marini, whose new book, Mastering The Art Of Entertaining, tells you all you need to know to be a thoughtful and authentic host.
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Today’s House Guest Is Millie Mackintosh
This week we’re talking house renovation with content creator and Instagram star Millie Mackintosh, who recently renovated a new home for her and her family – during which she collaborated with COAT Paints on colours that symbolised Millie’s focus on mindful living.
Today’s House Guest Is Adam Ellis
If you’re looking for a unique decorative artwork – perhaps a life-size leopard lounging above a doorframe, surrounded by jewel coloured birds, butterflies and beetles – then Adam Ellis is your man. We catch up with him to see what he’s been up to with his fine art and design practice.
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After 15 years at the helm of his eponymous fashion label, Henry Holland turned his attention from tailor’s scissors to clay, forging a cult following for his Hackney-based ceramics brand, Henry Holland Studio. Inspired by the Japanese technique of Nerikomi, his signature marbled style has now been translated into a collection of papers and textiles in collaboration with Harlequin, part of the Sanderson Design Group. Sponsored by Naturalmat.
‘Sometimes you have to do things you can’t justify on a spreadsheet,’ says Jacu Strauss, creative director of Lore Group Hotels. He chats to Carole Annett about his latest project at Pulitzer Amsterdam, his vision for Sea Containers London, and his work at One Hundred Shoreditch. Sponsored by Naturalmat.
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Today’s House Guest Is Hannah Bryce, Founder Of Minnow & Wolf
After moving from London to Hampshire, living in the countryside inspired Hannah Bryce to set up her floristry company, Minnow and Wolf, which produces gorgeous flowers grown without pesticides. Carole Annett chats to Hannah about her passion for nature. Sponsored by Naturalmat.
This week, Carole Annett sits down with Zoë de Givenchy, a Melbourne-born homeware entrepreneur, to chat about Zoë’s stunning lifestyle brand, Z.d.G. Sponsored by Naturalmat.
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This week, Carole Annett is in Paris meeting renowned French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who created the torch for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sponsored by Naturalmat.
This week, Carole Annett sits down with stylist and digital creator Lucy Williams, whose transformation of her terraced house in West London has been devoured by thousands on Instagram. Sponsored by Naturalmat.
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We kick off a brand new series of House Guest with England rugby player Maro Itoje and Simon Sadinsky of the King’s Foundation, who tell us all about a very special project. They sat down with Carole Annett at Dumfries House, a Georgian stately home bought by a consortium led by King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) in 2007. Sponsored by Naturalmat.
Today’s House Guest is Katharine Pooley, one of the most respected and highly regarded names in the world of interior design and architecture. Katharine says, ‘All our conversations with clients start with comfort, happiness, wellness and sustainability’. Celebrating 20 years in the business, Katharine has a Chelsea design studio, a Walton Street boutique, and heads up a team of 50 people. Tune in as she talks chateaus, chicken coops and her upcoming showcase at WOW House, Design Centre Chelsea Harbour (June 4 to July 4).
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This week, Carole Annett sits down with Saffron Aldridge and Scarlett Supple of Alridge and Supple – a small, dynamic studio spanning decorating, interiors, sourcing and product design. They chat about the origins of the brand, give us a sneak peek into upcoming projects, and talk through their incredible restoration of a historic property on a Hebridean island. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.
This week’s, Carole Annett chats to Ippolita Rostagno, a jewellery designer and the co-founder of Artemest, an online gallery for Italian craft. Ippolita travels throughout Italy seeking out artisans bringing visibility to both ancient and contemporary arts. Tune in for more! Sponsored by ABI Interiors.
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‘Home is about the people, but possessions are also very powerful in making you feel comfortable and familiar,’ says Sophie Ashby, one of the UK’s most influential tastemakers. We chat about her childhood in South Africa, launching her business aged just 25 and moving house 14 times. She studied at Parsons School of Art in New York – she was there for only a short time but it had a huge impact on her career. She launched United in Design to open up the world of interior design to a wider, more diverse audience. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.
Known for skillfully mixing fashion, fine art, and theatre, Giles Deacon is the go-to couturier for celebrities including Kylie Minogue and Sarah Jessica Parker – but for his latest project, he’s dipping a toe into the world of interiors. In this week’s episode, Carole Annett chats with Giles about his new collaboration with Sanderson, the iconic fabrics and furniture brand. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.
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Guy Oliver of Oliver Laws has a background in architectural and design history, which stood him in good stead for a recent commission: The King’s Lodge at London’s iconic Mayfair hotel, The Connaught. A treasure trove of intricate panelling, jewel-coloured fabrics and carved marble, it was created in collaboration with King Charles’ Turquoise Mountain initiative which supports craftspeople in countries such as Afghanistan and Myanmar. Tune in to hear more about how the project came about and Guy’s own fascinating career. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.
House Guest is back for another series! In the first episode, Carole Annett visits the home of designer Tim Gosling, whose clients include Elton John, David Furnish, Jo Malone and the late Queen Mother. They chat about the creative personalities Tim has worked with, his addiction to auctions – while revealing top buying tips – plus tales of renovating his own French chateau. ‘Elton is one of the most remarkable collectors I have ever met’, he says. Sponsored by ABI Interiors.
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In the final House Guest episode of 2023, Carole Annett chats to fashion designer Ozwald Boateng, who is dipping his toe into the world of interiors after nearly three decades of inspirational work in menswear. Tune in for more.
India Hicks is this week’s very special House Guest. A model, businesswoman and humanitarian, India is the third child of Lady Pamela Mountbatten and David Hicks – her mother served as lady in waiting to the queen and her father was a much-celebrated interior designer. We chat about family life on Harbour Island, her five children (she has two sons of 26, but they aren’t twins) and why Mick Jagger named her pet parrot Jenga. India is about to launch a new range of bedlinen for Heirlooms which features her mantra: ‘Live an extraordinary life’.
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Trend alert: decorative art is back! Today’s House Guest is decorative artist and rising star Meg Boscawen, who works with some of the biggest names in interiors – from Nina Campbell to Penny Morrison. “Truthfully, it’s the everyday moments that give me inspiration,” Meg tells Carole Annett. Tune in for more.
Today’s House Guest is Randle Siddeley, the Lord Kenilworth, who set up his eponymous landscape business 48 years ago. Recognised globally for innovative and beautiful projects, he has worked on magnificent estates and hotel projects both in the UK and abroad. Randle’s father was a well known interior designer and it was expected he would follow in his footsteps. But Randle didn’t do well at school; he was dyslexic, and found solace and excitement outside the house rather than indoors. We chat about life and nature, and he is a fount of knowledge. ‘The most important thing I always say is: judge your garden by how it looks in winter,’ he states. ‘This is when you can tell you have a good structured garden. The most important element is the backdrop, ideally evergreen, because whatever you have in the foreground needs that backdrop… it’s like a stage.’ Tune in for more, plus a special appearance by Diego the beagle.
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Dynamic interior design duo and longstanding friends Bunny Turner and Emma Pocock chat to Carole about their people-focused interior design company, Turner Pocock, how their friendship helped shape their business and what led to the creation of their charity, TP Caring Spaces.
You can find out more about the TP Caring Spaces Carol Concert (and grab your tickets) at tpcaringspaces.co.uk
Architect Claus Thottrup chats with Carole about creating the Italian idyll, Borgo Santo Pietro. Originally a healing stopover for medieval pilgrims, the estate he bought, along with wife Jeannette in 2001, now comprises a 300-acre organic farm, cookery school (overseen by an 80-year old nonna), vineyard, two restaurants, manicured gardens and 22 suites. The concept hasn’t changed – to offer a restorative sanctuary for modern souls along with an unwavering dedication to sustainability and organic living. ‘We want to connect people to nature in a luxury way,’ says Claus. Tune in for more.
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‘Over time I realised how important beauty is as part of the home’, says John Sims Hilditch of Neptune. ‘I think it is something that elevates the spirit’. Launched in 1996 with friend and business partner Giles Redman, Neptune has grown into one of the UK’s best-loved lifestyle brands. Tune in to hear how John went from a military career to designing a hammock which sold rather better than expected, and sowed the seed for something rather special.
This week, Carole Annett chats to celebrity interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard. He delves into his multi award-winning work for the likes of Cher and the Kardashians, and he also discusses his brand new book, ‘Star Style’. Tune in for more.
Image © Hope Leigh
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Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors is a four-poster bed virtuoso. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever done a project without putting one in,’ she says. An expert at creating immaculate, dreamy interiors, she says a four-poster not only makes you feel special, but it’s also very romantic. Carole and Heni chat about the bed’s history, consider fabrics to use when curtaining the sides, and discuss different styles, from mirrored columns to designs for children. Tune in for more.
Known as the Queen of Colour, Sophie Robinson is an interior designer and broadcaster and the authority on hue. In her podcast The Great Indoors with Katie Watson-Smyth, she is the aesthetic agony aunt to a nation of amateur decorators. We chat about her start in design – she specialised in plastics (surprise surprise) ‘as that is where I could get the most colour in,’ she says. After a degree studying wood, metal, plastics and ceramics at Brighton University, it was her YouTube channel that set her on a path to greater recognition, including BBC2’s Great Interior Design Challange. She has just launched her first fabric collection with Harlequin.
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This week, we chat to Freya Simms, who is heading up LAPADA, a fair in Berkeley Square showcasing jewellery, silver, art and antiques, opening on 27 September.
We’re kicking off a new series of House Guest with Jules Haines, founder of the textile resale platform Haines. Jules is on a mission to tackle waste in the textile industry by working with designer brands to resell their surplus and deadstock fabric. The Haines platform now offers a huge selection of products, from gorgeous fabrics to cushions made from offcuts destined for landfill.
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Today we’re revisiting a chat with Emma Manners, the Duchess of Rutland, who lives in one of Britain’s most magnificent stately homes: Belvoir Castle. The Duchess chats to Carole about her journey from running around on a Welsh farm as a child to running a 200-room stately home when she married the 11th Duke of Rutland 30 years ago. As a keen decorator, she gives an insight into how she stamped her personality onto the private areas of the house and how looking after fabrics and wallpapers in the State Rooms requires a delicate hand.
This week, we’re revisiting our chat with Emma Sims Hilditch, an interior designer who grew up in a creative home where her mother loved to follow decorating trends, from 70s swirls to 80s swags. Emma inherited her mother’s creative gene, but, ‘I wouldn’t follow a trend,’ she says, ‘because if you’re not careful trends move on and then you’re stuck’. As well as discussing her book, ‘The Evolution of Home,’ with Giles Kime – a fascinating dive into how English country house style has changed – she offers tips on how to bring atmosphere into a house (you need a multi-faceted approach) and why the dining room is back in fashion but not in its traditional guise. Tune in for more.
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This week we’re revisiting a favourite podcast with one of the best production designers of his generation: Lee Broom. Lee is one of the UK’s leading furniture and lighting designers and a premium global design brand. His Crystal Bulb launched one of his earliest designs and was an instant hit, making him a darling of the design world and one who has continued to reach new heights with everything he does. Tune in for more.
This week we are revisiting an old favourite: an interview with garden designer Richard Miers before last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. He ended up with the People’s Choice award for his Love Garden. Tune in to hear all about how to design a garden fit for the famous Flower Show.
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For any interior designers looking for that special something – whether it’s a unique piece of ceramic to finish an interior, or individual hand-made cushions – head to Luiza Marra at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour. At Colony by Casa Luiza, you will find beautiful objects, fabrics from Colony Roma, and furniture chosen with Luiza’s meticulous eye. As the daughter of an ambassador, Luiza has lived all over the world gathering knowledge and taking in the world around her. Interiors are her second career and her passion shines through. Tune in to hear about decorating Mosimann’s private dining room, how she discovered her flair for design, and her most recent collaboration with Natalia Miyar for WOW house, which opens next week (visit dcch.co.uk for tickets).
From aviation law to interior design, Noor Charchafchi made a significant career change and launched a successful design business, Celine Interior Design, while also bringing up three children. She is passionate about the impact of good interiors on people’s lives. Her Iraqi heritage also plays an important role: ‘l feel 100% Iraqi and 100% English rather than 50% of anything’, she tells Carole Annett. Tune in for more, including how to design amazing kids’ bedrooms.
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Be transported to the realm of magic and myth in this episode, as Carole Annett chats to British graphic artist and homeware designer Emma J Shipley. From fabrics and wallpaper to lampshades and candles, Emma’s intricate designs bring to life the most enchanting aspects of the natural world. She delves into her artistic inspiration and discusses the origins of her unique style, which channels her childhood love of fantasy novels and films as well as experiences from her travels. She also offers us an insight into her success and gives us the lowdown on her stunning new Quetzal collection.
This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk
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This week’s House Guest is Jason Stewart, associate director of David Collins Studio, who gives us a glimpse into the design of Cunard’s new ship, Queen Anne, which is launching next year. ‘We have take elements of a bygone era and reimagined them in new ways,’ he reveals.
We also chat about Cunard’s history, its importance in Liverpool, and what guests got up to in the early years of sailing (truffle sauce for breakfast and onboard games which included separate races for single and married ladies and pillow fights for men.) An exhibition of Cunard’s history is on at Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery & Museum now. Tune in for more.
This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk
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It all started when Cal went to an auction in Scotland intending to bid for a two-bed flat in Glasgow and instead came away with a crumbled old wreck in the run-down area of Jameswood. Claire, his girlfriend and partner, is my House Guest this week. She recounts the last four years of their lives, from the ‘colander’ ceiling and the structural engineer who advised them to knock the house down to the joys and surprises of DIY renovation. Their Instagram account @whathavewedunoon sets out their extraordinary renovation journey and how it has transformed their lives and opened up a whole new world of friendship and community. A wonderful uplifting tale of our times.
This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk
‘Design is much more than just things, it’s about the memories you create,’ says Jacu Strauss, creative director and designer for Lore Group hotels including the highly acclaimed 100 Shoreditch in London and Pulitzer Amsterdam.
After growing up in the Kalahari desert, where he spent hours building castles out of sand, Jacu headed for London aged 18. He worked in a bank (to keep himself afloat) and studied architecture before finding work with Tom Dixon. He then embarked on the interiors of Sea Containers house, which brought him to the attention of Lore Group hotels – a career-changing moment which has allowed him total creative freedom in his new ventures. Tune in for more.
This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk
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Jewellery designer Stephen Webster shares his story, from apprenticing aged 15 at Hatton Garden to working on his latest collection, Sworn Enemies. Plus, he reflects on why we are experiencing an exciting jewellery renaissance. Tune in for more.
This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk
Image credit: Rankin
Born and raised in the south of Germany and hailing from Nigeria, Eva Sonaike studied journalism and worked in fashion before turning her sights on interiors. While doing up her first house, she was unable to find anything that represented the glorious colours of her homeland, and it was at this point that she decided to have a go herself. She now runs a global brand and has collaborated with Soho Home, CP Hart and Kanuhara resort in the Maldives, with much more to follow… including dog beds.
This episode is sponsored by Naturalmat. naturalmat.co.uk
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