A single mother-of-three from Portsmouth was left in tears after a millionaire invested £100,000 in her dream restaurant business and cleared her debts on the Channel 5 programme Rich House, Poor House.
Valerie Mayer, who works full-time as a carer while raising three children, has long aspired to open a Zimbabwean restaurant in the UK. However, with a weekly budget of just £53, her passion was sidelined as she struggled to make ends meet. She revealed that her financial situation became so dire that bailiffs visited, leaving her scared to leave the house.
On the show, Valerie swapped homes for a week with tech startup millionaire Steve Bolton, who lives in a £1m, six-bedroom property in Bournemouth. While Valerie and her mother enjoyed a £2,000 weekly allowance, Steve and his two children survived on £51.93 in Valerie's council house.
Moved by Valerie's plight, Steve decided to help. He not only cleared her debts and renovated her garden but also pledged £100,000 to support her restaurant venture, along with mentoring. Overcome with emotion, Valerie said: 'This can change mine and my family's life. I really wanted this so much.'
Rich House, Poor House airs Sundays at 9pm on Channel 5.
