Channel 5

A single mum of three received a ‘life-changing’ gift on Rich House, Poor House on Channel 5

A single mum-of-three, drowning in debt, was moved to tears after a millionaire invested £100,000 in her budding restaurant venture and paid off her debt on Rich House, Poor House.

Valerie Mayer, from Portsmouth, who is juggling raising her three children and working as a full-time carer, appeared on the Channel 5 hit show on Sunday (March 29) night alongside mum Cleopatra.

The talented home cook has always had dreams of launching a Zimbabwean restaurant in the UK, however with a weekly budget of just £53 her lifelong passion has been pushed to the side as she battles to make ends meet.

In a heartbreaking moment, she admitted that she has faced threats from debt collectors. She revealed: “My financial situation got so bad that I had bailiffs come in, and I just went into a state of panic. I was looking out of the windows to see if anyone was there. I got scared to leave the house.”

Seeing how the top 1% live, Valerie swapped homes for a week with tech startup millionaire, Steve Bolton, who lives in a plush £1m, six-bedroom property in Bournemouth.

The father of four left school at 16 with no qualifications but built a business from scratch, with his company now boasting a portfolio worth £750m.

Given his hectic life as an entrepreneur, he missed out on quality time with his children, so he decided to invite his eldest daughter, marketing guru, Ella, and his clothes shop owner son, Charlie, to join him on the show.

The family traded their home with two lounges, a dining room for eight, six bedrooms and five bathrooms, for a week-long stay in Val’s council house 60 miles along the coast.

While Steve and his two children had to manage on £51.93 for the week, Valerie and her mum experienced a glimpse of luxury living with a weekly budget of £2,000. Val and Cleopatra indulged in costly seafood, went on shopping trips for clothes, and even treated themselves to a day at the races.

However, Steve and his family found it difficult to adapt in their new environment and things took an emotional turn as Steve visibly moved after finding out about Valerie’s debt.

It was clear that Steve wanted to help Valerie get her life on track as he had a few surprises for her when they finally reunited after their swap.

The millionaire not only committed to investing £100,000 into her restaurant venture, but also cleared all her debts and transformed her garden.

Sitting opposite each other, Steve went on to say: “We’ve been talking a lot about how we might be able to help you guys because that’s obviously a big part of what we want to do and we’ve thought about three things that we can do to help you.”

He continued: “The first one is already done and it’ll be a surprise when you get home, the second one is about your debt situation, so we wanted to get you out of debt and then the third thing is we want to back your vision, your dream, your passion and your talent for business.

“Support you financially, support you with mentoring, support you with anything and everything you need up to a value of £100,000.”

Valerie broke down in tears as she struggled to get her words out: “Oh, wow. I don’t even know…How do you say thank you? Thank you. Wow, this is amazing.”

With tears streaming down her face she said: “I’m feeling really overwhelmed right now. Happy tears. This can change mine in my family’s life. I really wanted this so much and I’m so glad that my family’s also going to be involved in this because it’s going to change everything for the better.”

Rich House, Poor House airs Sunday night from 9pm on Channel 5

Alex Polizzi made a return to our TV screens and helped a family transform their budget bed and breakfast

The Hotel Inspector’s Alex Polizzi was quick to issue an ultimatum to some hotel owners as she spotted a big problem. During Thursday’s (March 19) episode of the Channel 5 hit show, Alex was in the sprawling commuter town of Horley, to check into Gatwick Turret.

The budget bed and breakfast is run by 62-year-old Ram, 61-year-old Anj and their 37-year-old son, Rai. The 10-bedroomed Victorian guest house is just a mile down the road from Gatwick Airport, where over 250,000 flights carry up to 46 million passengers every year.

It seems like a great location for a hotel as a lot of people will be needing somewhere to stay before or after their getaways. However there is a lot of competition as Gatwick Turret is one of over 100 hotels, including big chain brands, fiercely vying for their business.

As the hotel owners wrestle with high overheads in a highly competitive market, the family have no choice but to run the hotel almost single-handedly to keep staffing costs down.

And Rai has a lot on his hands as the running of the hotel has recently been passed down to him and it’s all on him to turn things around for Mum and Dad and find a way of making a profit.

Alex knew she had a lot to do to help transform the hotel as she found mismatched décor and too many running costs. And before she could even get stuck in she was quick to spot a problem as she discovered that despite their hard work, the business is barely breaking even and the family are struggling to pay themselves.

Alex asked: “Tell me about what it cost you to put on a room?” Rai explained: “Each room costs around £4.20 for the linen. The tea, coffee tray, a bottle of water…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Alex jumped in: “It’s expensive water. I wouldn’t put a very expensive bottle of water in the room. So what does it cost?” Rai continued: “£3.20.”

Alex explained: “Adding to cost per room are roughly £6 on housekeeping, £9 towards the £350,000 pound mortgage, £24 on utilities and taxes and £9 commission for those pesky online booking sites.”

She continued: “So, the grand total of that, my dears, is £56. Lucky lucky you, all this work and all this headache and you’re making a profit of about £4 a night per year – not quite enough for retirement.”

Alex admitted: “There is obviously a problem.” She then asked: “Do you pay yourselves? Rai revealed: “A £1,000 each.” It was clear Alex was stunned as she gasped: “A £1,000 each a month. Gosh darling, I mean, I’m surprised the government allows it, you’re not even making minimum wage.”

Alex gave the owners an ultimatum as she later added: “So we either need to make more money or sell it off.”

After an intense few days of renovations and small changes, Alex managed to help the family turn things around and business seems to be heading in the right direction as Rai revealed that they are now making an extra £140 a week with their breakfast room and they managed to get some positive press.

You can stream The Hotel Inspector on Channel 5

Ellis has been a hit for Channel 5 and one star has opened up about returning for a potential third series

Channel 5’s Ellis has been a huge hit with viewers and as series two of the gripping drama comes to an end, fans have been left wondering if it will return for another series.

Season 1 first appeared on our TV screens back in 2024 and at the time it became a hit with detective drama fans, who couldn’t get enough of the drama.

It was a hit after featuring the UK’s first black solo female-led as award-winning actress Sharon D Clarke led the cast. After the success of Series 1, Channel 5 viewers were treated to another season that aired last week.

Fan once again saw DCI Ellis (Sharon D Clarke) and DS Harper (Andrew Gower) investigate the disappearance of a local boy, a murder that brought up a lot of old grudges and the death of a student who was found crushed underneath scaffolding. As the show came to an end tonight, everyone has been left wondering if Ellis and Harper make a return to our screens again.

As of now, Channel 5 are yet to confirm whether the show will continue, however, the good news as Andrew Gower, who plays DS Harper, is very keen to return to his role and the show.

When speaking to Radio Times on the idea of him filming the show again, he said: “Oh yeah, that’s a very easy ‘yes’. To work with Sharon and to keep giving life to Harper and Ellis.”

He continued: “I’ll keep reiterating this but it’s the audience, they always say it’s all about the audience, right? If we can keep entertaining audiences and they keep wanting more, then that’s what we’ll do with Ellis.

“I think the more series we have or the more episodes we have – films, whatever people call them – then that means that we’re doing something right and that means that this relationship can grow.”

The star added: “At some point maybe grow apart to come together, whatever. That’s the exciting thing about British detective shows, there’s scope where you can build from one series to however many. Long may it continue.”

Talking about the legacy of the detective drama, co-star Sharon D Clarke previously said: “The thing I love the most about Ellis is that she is on our screens! I love playing Ellis because I didn’t grow up seeing anybody like her on my television screen.

“So that is my joy, that this is a first, and I am getting to lead that brigade and hopefully pass that baton on to people coming behind me. We’ve waited a long time, but we’re here, and we’re here to stay.”

Channel 5 has since confirmed what show will be replacing Ellis next week in the 9pm slot on Tuesday night. On Tuesday, (March 24) the network will air Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, a feature-length drama starring Martin Clunes, Osian Morgan, Sian Reese Williams, and Jason Hughes.

Channel 5 said: “Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards is a major, feature-length factual drama exploring the story of how a vulnerable 17-year-old boy was groomed by one of the most powerful figures in television – Huw Edwards.

“Starring Martin Clunes (Doc Martin, Wuthering Heights, Manhunt) as Edwards, the drama explores the newsreader’s double life as it spirals out of control, leading to his total exit from public life following his conviction for making indecent images of children.”

Ellis is available to stream on Channel 5

The Yorkshire Vet stars Julian Norton and Lucy Pittaway tackled an unusual case

The Yorkshire Vet stars Julian Norton and Lucy Pittaway urgently operated on a dog that faced “life-threatening” problems as they admitted it’s something they had never seen before.

The Channel 5 hit show made a comeback to our TV screens on Tuesday evening (March 17), as the vets at Wetherby prepared for a momentous procedure on a three-year-old spaniel named Ghost, who had a mysterious bump on his body.

Julian explained: “His owners are worried that they’ve seen something swollen and big in his abdomen and of literally seeing it sticking out. So the bulge under his skin there, we think it’s a tumour on the spleen.”

While checking Ghost’s lump, he pointed out how it was bigger than anticipated as he said: “Generally the more aggressive cancers we see in older dogs, so that makes it rather unusual, but we’ll see, hopefully with something that we can easily remedy.”

Resident expert scanner Nat was forced to step in and examine Ghost as they struggled to identify the problem as she admitted: “It generally doesn’t look recognizable as anything else.”

Julian was worried as he said: “It could be on the liver. Now, if it is, a cancerous growth on the liver, then that makes it altogether more complicated.

“With the benefit of modern imaging, we can get a really good idea in most cases what we’re dealing with, but this seems to be a little bit of a strange one.”

With scans inconclusive, Julian and the team are puzzled by Ghost’s mysterious lump. They made the decision to operate on the spaniel.

However It was clear they had a huge challenge on their hands as Lucy admitted: “It’s weird because it’s just so prominent there. I’ve literally never seen anything like it. It’s like not moving at all.”

Following a strenuous operation, Julian expressed his relief as he confirmed that it was not an abdominal mass and could in fact be an infection. They decided to prescribe Ghost with some antibiotics to help tackle the swelling.

Julian and Lucy were left pleased as they discovered that just one month after operating on Ghost, his lump was completely gone.

Speaking to Lucy, Julian said: “I’m glad we didn’t do anything more dramatic at the time but yeah, totally mended. Job is a good one. Another life saved, Lucy.”

Lucy added: “At least he is much happier now.” Ghost is definitely in good spirits as he was later seen enjoying a walk with his owner Ryan.

You can catch up on The Yorkshire Vet on Channel 5

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website.

Episodes 3 and 4 of Ellis season 2 take DCI Ellis and DS Harper to the the fictional village of Elmsly – but where did filming take place in real life?

Channel 5‘s hugely popular detective drama Ellis returned for season 2 earlier this month.

The new series, like the first season, follows Sharon D Clarke in her role as DCI Ellis and Andrew Gower’s DS Harper as they continue to crack cases across the north of England.

Season two returned on Tuesday, March 10, with episodes one and two and saw the team head to the fictional and tiny village of Ashenham, where the body of respected local businessman, Peter Barron, was discovered.

Episodes three and four will air on Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18, and will take the team to the fictional village of Elmsly after university student Abi Marshall is found crushed beneath fallen scaffolding at Quinn Artisan Stone – a construction firm and the area’s economic powerhouse.

Both the stone works and Elmsly feature in the episodes extensively, so many might be wondering where the scenes were actually shot. As fans of Ellis will know, while the drama is set in the north of England, it’s actually filmed in Northern Ireland.

Teasing the beautiful scenes yet to come, Sharon D Clarke, who plays DCI Ellis, said: “We have more great locations coming up. That’s the beautiful thing about the show: it’s location-based, so you’re not in the same police station every week with the same colleagues. You get out and about and you see different people, and such beautiful, lovely creative talent have joined the Ellis family this year.”

The village of Elmsly was actually shot across two villages, Downpatrick and Drumaness.

Said to be the burial place of Saint Patrick, Channel 5 shot its police station scenes and the Quinn family home in Downpatrick, thanks to the village’s stunning Georgian brick buildings.

Meanwhile, Drumaness, which is a historical mill village, is where the broadcaster filmed Abi Marshall’s house and her memorial.

The stone works that feature in the penultimate episode, fictionally known as Quinn Heritage Stone, were filmed at a family run building supplies company on the outskirts of Belfast.

Speaking about filming in Northern Ireland, Andrew said: “It’s special. The landscape is amazing. It gives you everything you need. You’ve got the hills, the beaches, the industry, so it’s an amazing experience. I had never filmed in Northern Ireland or even been here before series one so it was a great experience for me to get to know not only the amazing infrastructure that they have for filming, but also to get to know Belfast and the beautiful landscapes of Northern Ireland.”

He added: “We’ve got a lot to be proud of when it comes to our scenery, and Northern Ireland really offers that. It gives each episode a real backdrop and palette to play with.”

Ellis S2 continuies Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18 at 9pm on 5.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website

A new documentary has been announced by 5, revealing the devastating impact of a crime that shook two continents

A chilling documentary has been confirmed after a devastating crime, and it will likely leave fans in tears.

5 has announced a compelling two-part documentary series, Trial By Jury: The Killing of Claire Leveque, which offers exclusive access to the murder trial at the Edinburgh High Court that followed the tragic death of the 24-year-old Canadian. The series will also feature Claire’s family as they faced the “harrowing” days of the trial and beyond.

Claire was brutally killed by her boyfriend while living on the Shetland Islands in 2023. Filmed with rare in-court camera access, granted by the Lord Justice General, the chilling events surrounding Claire’s murder will be examined across two hour-long episodes.

The instalments will reveal the “horrific details that shook a close-knit island community in Shetland and left a family in North America heartbroken.”

The case also highlights the profound toll of intimate partners violence, and the challenges of uncovering domestic abuse in rural areas.

Using a fixed in-court rig, Trial By Jury follows the eight-day trial that led to a unanimous guilty verdict and a life sentence with a minimum term of 25 years for Claire’s boyfriend, Aren Pearson.

Judge Lord Arthurson previously described the crime as “a sustained episode of feral butchery”, while paying tribute to the “dignity and restraint” shown by Claire’s family, who travelled from Canada to attend every day of proceedings.

A synopsis for the documentary reads: “From Claire’s small Canadian hometown to the windswept Shetland village where she lived in near-isolation, the documentary pieces together her final months through testimony, archive footage and investigative reporting.

“The series also follows [Claire’s father] Clint and his fiancée, Jenny, as they make an emotional journey to the island to confront their grief.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website

In a statement, Claire’s heartbroken dad, Clint, said: “My little girl was stolen from me. I’ll never get to hug her again, hear her laugh or see her smile. I’ll never see the woman she would have become. She’ll never have the chance to be a mother or grandmother, or to know the love a parent has for their child and know that is the love I have for her.”

Gary Davies, consultant editor for commissioning at 5, added: “This thoughtful series gives a deeply human account of an unimaginable tragedy. It shines a light on the justice process and honours the courage of Claire’s family as they seek truth and remembrance.”

Mark Procter, executive producer for Big Little Fish, echoed the sentiment, saying: “We are profoundly grateful to the Judicial Office for Scotland and to everyone who enabled our access to the trial.

“Above all, we are honoured that the Leveque family have entrusted us to document what happened to Claire. We hope this series serves as a respectful tribute – giving her the voice that was so cruelly taken from her.”

Trial By Jury: The Killing of Claire Leveque will be released on 5

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organisations including Refuge, New Beginnings Peer Support and Women’s Aid can provide further support and information. The 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247

A presenter and explorer had to move fast to avoid a potentially dangerous animal encounter

Steve Backshall had a “dangerously close encounter” as he filmed a series about hippos.

The naturalist and explorer got up close to the animals while making Hippo Watch with Steve Backshall, which can be viewed on Channel 5. But a clip shared on Instagram showed some of the hippos getting a bit too interested in the camera crew as they shot scenes in South Africa, with Steve exclaiming: “They’re coming our way!”

The clip, captioned “Dangerously close encounter with hippos”, showed Steve and his crew in the water, filming a group of hippos nearby.

“Even on waters where hippos are familiar with boats and people, beware of hippos who break away from their group,” the voiceover warned.

Looking over at the animals, Steve spotted some movement and told viewers: “Oh, he’s standing up and having a good close look at me. Look at that! Spy hopping right up out of the water.

“OK guys, keep a very close eye on him, yeah? Two of them are splintered off from the pod, and they’re looking right at me. Three. Three of them now. And definitely curious.”

As the hippos started to move through the water, he exclaimed: “I think those two are coming our way. No? Yeah, they are. Look, they’re coming our way!”

Someone in the film crew was then heard telling the team: “OK guys, they’re moving now, come on.”

Steve waded hastily back to the boat, admitting: “We’re getting very close.”

The voiceover noted that it was “definitely time to leave”, continuing: “You can never get complacent around these animals, and should always err on the side of caution.”

The Instagram caption said: “Wrong place. Wrong time. @backshall.steve finds himself dangerously close to a hippo that’s broken from the pack… One wrong move could be fatal.”

The series has gone down a storm with viewers, with one posting on Instagram: “Phenomenal documentary.” “Fantastic, thoroughly enjoyed this,” said someone else, as another said it was “incredible” viewing.

“Very interesting,” posted another impressed viewer. “Steve, you’re quite literally my childhood role model,” commented another fan, adding: “So awesome to see all of this content.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website.

Hippo Watch is available on Channel 5.

Ellis has returned, bringing back DCI Ellis and DS Chet Harper to investigate a new head-scratching murder.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Ellis.

Ellis season two has arrived and it seems that fans have been left saying the same thing about the new series.

When it initially debuted in October 2024, Ellis received rave reviews from Channel 5 viewers as no non-sense DCI Ellis (played by Sharon D Clarke) travels around helping local police forces in need of help with difficult investigations.

So fans couldn’t wait for its return with Ellis debuting its second season tonight, Tuesday, March 10, with the first episode revolving around the murder of a big-hearted businessman.

Peter Barron (James Doran) had launched a new scheme to help young offenders by employing them at a gardening centre but not everyone in the town was happy with the initiative.

It didn’t take long before DCI Ellis and DS Chet Harper (Andrew Gower) were called as Peter was found dead in his home, kicking off this week’s investigation.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

Despite its previous popularity, it didn’t take long for fans to complain about the debut episode of Ellis season two.

“I am not as gripped by the new episode so far,” a viewer commented.

Another agreed: “Disappointed. Loved the last series, but this has got off to a rather wooden and uninspiring series two.”

A third echoed: “New to this but it seems very cliched. Will try and stick with it but so far it’s like it has been written from a kit.”

Another wrote: “Don’t really think much this programme,” as someone else posted: “That didn’t really feel like an ‘end of episode one’ scene in #Ellis .

“I suspect this was originally intended to be broadcast as a single two-hour story like the first series, rather than split in two.”

But some were happy to see the drama’s return with a fan writing: “Good to have #Ellis back, I’ve been looking forward to it.”

Ellis season two will consist of four episodes in total with the series split into two different investigations. Fans are going to be able to find out what happened to Peter Barron tomorrow night, Wednesday, March 11. After this, Ellis will return for a new story on Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18.

Ellis season two continues on Wednesday, March 11, at 9pm on Channel 5.