A struggling single mother of two has been forced to make a heartbreaking decision during an episode of Channel Five's Rich House, Poor House. The programme, airing on Sunday, April 26, sees wealthy Mr Whippy owner Joe Sealey swap his luxurious lifestyle with Steph, her mother Gail, and her two daughters, Amelia (12) and Darcey (7).
The Swap
In the show, two families from opposite ends of the financial spectrum exchange homes, budgets, and lifestyles for a week. Steph lives in a three-bedroom council house in Widnes, Liverpool, which has seen better days: the downstairs floor is coming apart, and Amelia's bedroom has mould. Steph works six days a week from home doing phone sales, selling holidays she can only dream of. Despite working hard and being good at her job, she still struggles to make ends meet. After basic household bills, they have just £98 a week to spend on everything else.
Meanwhile, millionaire businessman Joe lives in a luxurious £3.5 million home in Wilmslow, near Manchester, with his wife Nicole and their two children. His family cannot join him on the swap, so he is accompanied by family friend Tracey. The entrepreneur exchanges his property—featuring six bedrooms, a cinema room, a gym, and even an indoor swimming pool—for a week in Steph's council house 30 miles away. While Joe and Tracey must manage on a weekly budget of £98, Steph, her children, and her mother Gail enjoy a taste of luxury living with £2,000 to spend.
A Heartbreaking Decision
However, not long into the swap, Steph is forced to send her mother home after Gail becomes too sick to continue. Gail, who lives up the road from her daughter, has been battling ill health and is a constant worry for Steph. This is another challenge for the family, who have faced tough times after cancer took both Steph's grandfather and her sister.
Gail is clearly disappointed to be leaving, feeling as though she is "letting her family down." Speaking to the camera, Steph is visibly moved as she says: "I will quote my daughter: 'You (Gail) will be letting us down, nanny, if you stay, not if you go.'" The next day, Steph is relieved to receive good news that her mother is feeling much better. "She's got a support network, so it takes the pressure off me because I know she's got all that at home," Steph explains. "Now I think it's going to help me relax and enjoy it more as an experience because I've not got that massive worry going on."
A Life-Changing Surprise
Steph manages to enjoy the rest of her time, and at the end of the swap, when she is finally reunited with Joe and Tracey, she is left in tears after a life-changing surprise. Joe goes above and beyond to help the single mother: he decorates her home, surprises the family with a holiday, and promises to give her £20,000 from the first sales made after a successful business meeting. Not only that, but he also offers her the chance to work with his sales team with a starting salary of £60,000 a year.
You can catch up on Rich House, Poor House on Channel 5.
