A millionaire barrister and building developer has admitted feeling guilty after swapping lives with a single mother for the Channel 5 programme Rich House, Poor House. Roy Ledgister, 48, from Lewes, East Sussex, spent a week in the shoes of Becky Bigginton, 37, from Turnbridge, Yorkshire, for the show's new season, which aired on Sunday at 9pm.
Roy, who lives in a 17th-century farmhouse and has £1,750 of disposable income each week, said he was 'shocked' by the plight of single mothers like Becky, who has only around £64 of disposable income weekly. He also addressed his own bias against low-income families, admitting he was ashamed of some remarks he made on the show, including expressing surprise at how 'tidy' Becky's home was.
During the episode, Roy visited a food bank and met another single mother, Rebecca, who relies on it weekly. She became emotional, saying she could not see a way out of her situation. Roy later said the experience was 'difficult' and brought to life what it is like living in Becky's shoes.
Becky, who has returned to college to study English and maths, said she hoped the show would demonstrate that people on benefits are not 'lazy' and that it is 'never too old to fulfil your dreams.' She and Roy remain in weekly contact, and she now works as an unpaid consultant for his company, receiving mentorship.
Roy said he was 'astonished' by how little money some people have to live on and that the show pushed him to confront his own preconceptions. The pair have since attended Royal Ascot together, and Becky said Roy has always treated her as an equal, with no divide caused by money.
