A family on the Channel 5 show Rich House, Poor House have proved that an expensive meal doesn't necessarily mean a better one. Single mum Amy Impey and her children Stacey, 17, and Brandon, eight, swapped houses with millionaire property developer Immanuel Ezekiel for a week.
During their lavish week, the family splashed out on a luxury meal at a restaurant, where Brandon had his first ever three-course dining experience. The bill for burgers came to nearly £85, but Brandon branded his burger 'really disgusting', while Amy confessed she was still 'starving' as the portions were so small. 'It was like four mouthfuls and I’m dying of hunger,' she said.
The week saw the Impeys live in Immanuel's London penthouse, while he and his children Joel, 22, and Chelsea, 29, squeezed into Amy's three-bed council house in Boreham Wood. Immanuel's weekly budget of £1,229.62 contrasted sharply with Amy's £140.17 left over after bills.
Immanuel initially struggled with the life swap, forced to do chores himself and exercise by lifting bricks in the garden without his gym membership. Amy was shocked when a taxi fare around London cost £54. She reflected: 'I thought once you have loads of money you’re really happy but actually I don’t think it really works like that.'
At the end of the week, the families met. Immanuel vowed to help Amy find a property to buy, topped up her meter, and left a supermarket gift card and furniture. He told her: 'You need to be proud of yourself; you’re doing an amazing job.' Amy concluded: 'Being a parent isn’t about buying the latest trainers or gadgets, it’s being there and spending time with them.'
