The latest instalment of Rich House, Poor House saw a redundant care worker reduced to tears as he was offered a job.
Solomon Gordon and his wife Chelsea struggle to make ends meet, supporting their family of six on just £80 a week.
The couple traded places with a millionaire construction worker and his wife, Johnny and Gemma Goodale D’Amore.
Stark contrast
Solomon and Chelsea live in a three-bedroom council house in Bedford with their four children Kyla, 13, Harvey, 10, Leila, six, and two-year-old Tilly.
In stark contrast, Johnny and Gemma reside in a million-pound mansion in Peterborough with Gemma’s two children from a previous relationship George, 10, and Mason, eight, as well as their daughter Millie, two, and newborn son Gray.
Solomon and Chelsea have been left living on Universal Credit after he lost his job working in a children’s care home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, Johnny owns his own construction firm and Gemma runs her own successful accountancy company.
Gemma – who also manages her husband’s company finances – became the UK’s youngest chartered accountant at 20.
Read More: Frustrated Rich House, Poor House viewers think the families could easily save money with one adjustment
But she doesn’t let her children take their wealthy status for granted.
She explained: “The kids know that they have to work hard otherwise we wouldn’t have all the things that we have.
“I completely self-taught myself from 18 to qualifying at 20 and now, 15 years later, we’re a well-established known local accountancy firm.”
Gemma works just 22 and a half hours in the office a week, with her five full-time staff handling the business the rest of the time.
She also employs a nanny and a team of cleaners to help her spend as much leisure time with her children as possible.
Since being made redundant Solomon, who usually earns a minimum wage, has struggled to find a new job.
He dreams of one day owning his own residential home for children.
However, he needs more qualifications and at least an NVQ Level 5 to pursue his goal.
Chelsea is hoping to one day own her own business too. She currently prints T-shirts for family and friends and is hoping it could become her job one day.
Talking about their cash-strapped life – and £6000 credit card debt – Solomon admitted life is hard.
He said: “Money is tight at the moment until I get another job.”
Chelsea added: “We’ve still got debts that we haven’t paid creeping up behind us.”
Chelsea and Solomon were both orphaned at a young age and Solomon was put in care when he was 13. This life experience drives his dream of working with kids.
As the two families swap places for the week, Gemma is instantly shocked when she sees the Gordons don’t have a carpet in their house.
On the flip side, Chelsea is impressed with their lavish culinary space as she exclaims: “Wow! this is like the dream kitchen!”
Budgeting shock
Gemma and Johnny are stunned to learn they only have £80.12 to spend on six people.
Meanwhile, Chelsea cannot believe they have £1,652.36 to spend in just one week.
As the show plays out Johnny and Gemma realise their children are “extremely spoilt”.
The couple also find paperwork relating to Solomon and Chelsea’s debts.
Empathetic Johnny says: “It’s horrible to think that on top of a really tight budget, they’ve had to get themselves in debt just to keep themselves afloat.”
As the week draws to a close Johnny carries out a series of DIY jobs in Chelsea and Solomon’s house.
He also laid a carpet for them to improve their living standard.
Read More: Rich House, Poor House on Channel 5: Viewers thrilled as millionaire offers single mum a lifeline
Rich House Poor House life-changing offer
The couples then met for the first time and Chelsea told Gemma and Johnny: “You’ve been an inspiration – knowing that I can do my business with four kids.”
Gemma was quick to point out to Chelsea that her laptop is too slow for running a business from.
Chelsea replied: “Yeah, it’s rubbish.”
Gemma then revealed to Chelsea that she bought her a new laptop, reducing her to tears.
She said: “That was really, really frustrating for me. You see, I work on a computer all day every day and it just took so, so long to just get going! So we obviously thought that was something we could get you guys,” Gemma said. “Obviously the kids can use it for the homework and hopefully that’s something that will help you all.”
During the course of their swap week, Solomon worked on Johnny’s construction site.
He told Johnny: “I really enjoyed it – still looking, obviously, for a residential care job because my heart, passion, everything is in that. I don’t want to do anything else.”
An impressed Johnny then replied: “That’s really nice. It takes a certain type of person to work with children in care homes. You have to have a heart for it.”
He then revealed that a friend had helped him line up a job interview for Solomon.
Johnny said: “We’ve got a call lined up with a care home.”
Gemma added: “It’s a children’s care home – it’s near where we live. ”
Johnny continued: “I know it’s in Peterborough, but it’s exactly what you’re looking for and you’re more or less what they’re looking for. Once your probation is over, they actually pay for you to do your level five as part of progression.
“If it can get you that stepping stone and part of those qualifications that you need. That brings you to another level.”
An overwhelmed Chelsea replied: “I cannot thank you guys enough.”
Johnny responded: “We cannot thank you guys enough for learning bits ourselves.”