A Cambridgeshire single mum featured on the Channel 5 show with her daughters

A single mother was moved to tears when she was presented with a family holiday and a significant career boost on TV programme, Rich House, Poor House.

Katie participated in the show alongside her two daughters, as they swapped homes – and lives – with an affluent Norfolk family for a week.

The family, who had been facing financial difficulties and occasionally relied on a food bank when funds were low, vacated their three-bedroom Cambridgeshire home to reside in Matt and Danni’s £1.2 million Norfolk residence.

The families exchanged budgets, with Matt and Danni, parents of three who operate a luxury mattress and bedding business, subsisting on Katie’s weekly budget of £82.61 after bills. Meanwhile, Katie and her daughters Shelby and Dixie were given £1,900 spending money for the week.

During the poignant episode, which aired on Sunday (March 15), Katie revealed that she was juggling four part-time jobs, including caring for her father Ted, who suffers from heart failure and is both deaf and diabetic, reports Wales Online.

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She also had plans to establish her own second-hand clothing business, specialising in plus-size attire, with the assistance of her mother Rosemary.

“It’s hard work trying to juggle earning a living and being a mum at the same time,” she said. “I’ve been using a food bank just to top up some shopping when I can’t afford it,” she added.

The programme showed Katie’s family experiencing the high life, being able to spend freely on takeaways and designer clothing. In contrast, Matt and Danni found themselves staying in and enjoying board games with their children as they lacked the funds to venture out.

The pair also carried out some maintenance work at Katie’s home, hanging a curtain at her bedroom window and painting the wooden staircase, which had remained unfinished as Katie couldn’t afford to decorate.

When the life swap concluded, the families met face to face for the first time. Following a discussion about their experiences, Matt and Danni expressed their desire to support Katie and her daughters Shelby and Dixie.

Katie appeared visibly moved as Danni told her: “So we thought that it would be nice to pay for a family holiday for you guys on the Norfolk Broads on a boat for a week. You guys, and Ted and Rosemary as well, so that you can all be together.”

Matt added: “And also something that we’d like to do as well is help you with the business since you’ve already made such a great start. We would like to put £500 in for initial stock just to get up and running and going. And what you do need to do is focus your attention. So we’ve basically drawn a five year plan. And I think within a year, you can certainly be giving all the other jobs up, you know, except you sort of care for your dad and stuff. But I think the business, if it all goes to plan on here, you could probably generate a £77,000 profit out of the business every year.”

Katie appeared emotional as she expressed her delight that Matt could recognise the promise in her concept.

“I’m really excited about my business now,” she said. “Matt’s given me lots of ideas. I can’t believe he has worked out a five-year plan.”

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Rich House, Poor House airs on Channel 5