AN INSPIRING single mum and carer has gone from eating her children’s leftovers and visiting food banks to working at a multi-million pound property company after being offered the opportunity of a lifetime.
Becky Biggington, a single parent of two young sons, took part in Channel 5’s Rich House, Poor House where she swapped lives with millionaire barrister and property entrepreneur Roy Ledgisterin.
In the opening episode of the brand new series of the show, which airs this weekend, Becky spends seven days in Roy’s sprawling Kent estate, complete with his three properties and swimming pool.
There, Becky, who was on benefits and used to making £64.05 a week stretch before signing up to the show, enjoys the luxuries of his life and jaw-dropping budget of £1750 per week.
She is joined by her sister Jenny, and two boys Finley, seven, and Roman, five, who she admitted she struggled to provide for as money was so tight.
Becky, who acts as Finley’s carer after he was born with hypermobility in his joints and recently returned to college to help her pass qualifications to find work, continues: “There are occasions when I will go to the foodbank if I need to have top-ups. It really, really helps when I’m having a low month.
The mum-of-two, who had previously decided to grow her own vegetables to help save money, adds: “As long as the boys are ok, I’ll just have a sandwich myself or their leftovers.”
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Meanwhile, Roy – who is joined by his best friend and business partner Richard – temporarily moves into Becky’s basic two bed Sussex council house just 50 minutes down the road.
After leaving behind his usually lavish lifestyle, Becky’s tight budget comes as an initial shock and brings him to tears, as the reality of her life and the sacrifices she’s made along the way begin to sink in.
But it’s immediately clear that Becky’s story strikes a big chord with Roy, who himself was raised by a single mum in London.
Roy explains: “I grew up in Shepherd’s Bush, West London. We weren’t rich but I had a good life.
“It was always instilled in me by my mother that you’ve got to work hard – that was the mantra that ran out in the house on a daily basis.”
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After an eye-opening week, both Becky and Roy experience things they never thought they would.
Roy sits a GCSE Maths exam to get to know more about Becky’s course, visits the local food bank, and also gets stuck into some gardening and household chores.
Elsewhere, Becky test drives a brand new McLaren supercar and even spends £500 during a shopping spree with a personal shopper at a designer boutique.
Yet, her heart of gold is there for all to see when she later decides to take back an expensive outfit she purchased so that she can instead buy items for the local food bank.
As long as the boys are ok, I’ll just have a sandwich myself or their leftovers
But it’s her business acumen that wows Roy’s colleagues – and ultimately the boss himself – after she offers up amazing ideas at his property business that offers affordable living, as well as social housing spaces for those who need it.
And it more than pays off, as at the end of the week-long experiment, Becky and Roy come face to face for the first time in an emotional meeting that changes both of their lives forever.
Becky takes the opportunity to pitch some of her social housing ideas to Roy – who is blown away by her prowess.
And, after walking in Becky’s shoes for the past few days, Roy replies: “We are the same, you care, you want to give and you want to make a difference and I have the same goals in my life. So I wanted to see what I could do to help you.”
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After Roy reveals that he is going to pay to have some of her home decorated, a family day out to their football team Arsenal and a safari in Africa, Roy shares his last – but biggest – surprise.
He says: “Finally, at the office yesterday you were contributing and you’ve got some great ideas – clearly you know what you’re talking about.
“I think you could bring a bit more colour to the set-up, so if you’re up for it, I’d love to have you help us as a consultant.
“Going forward that would be a real privilege for us and you could help us and not just help us, but thousands of people.”
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Becky is almost rendered speechless by Roy’s proposal and immediately accepts. She later reveals that she can’t wait to get stuck in and change her – and most importantly her sons' – fate forever.
She says: “I’m definitely interested to see how maybe I could input more for Roy for future projects.
“They actually do value what we have to say.”
Rich House, Poor House returns to Channel 5 on Sunday 14th August at 9pm
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