Work & Play Cherry Healey: How to Get a Life

'I'm Cherry Healey, and in the last few years,

'my life has been turned on its head.

'I've gone from this...

'..to this...

BABY CRIES

'..and then to this.

'I don't know about you, but I sometimes feel

'like the world is running away from me, and it's high time I caught up.

'So I'm determined to get some answers

'to life's fundamental questions -

'Does my bum look big in this?

'Am I too old to take drugs?

'Do I need a Brazilian?

'Today, I want to find out why we work so hard and play so hard

'in a world that never switches off.

'When so many of us are working longer hours than ever before,

'how come we are also partying as if our lives depended on it?

'I'm going to be meeting a cast of characters

'from the hard-working to the hard-partying,

'to discover what happens when we put pleasure or wealth

'before our health.

'I'll be hearing from a City trader who works a 20-hour day...

'..a single mum who holds down four jobs...

'..a group of guys determined to live a champagne lifestyle

'on a beer budget...

'..and a group of girls who club five nights a week for a living.'

Becka, we've got money to earn, yeah?

'I'll be getting a taste of life in their world.'

Every part of me is just trying to keep my eyes open. I am so tired.

'Then I'll be inviting them into mine,

'and bringing them back to my hub, my base for the next few months,

'in a bid to get them to confess all.'

When do you feel the stress of how you live?

It's like there's no money,

we've got half a fag between four of us...

LAUGHTER

We're pulling our hair out.

What do you think you're sacrificing?

My family life, my social well-being, my health...

Have you ever been approached to have sex in your job?

-Because...

-Oh, God, yes.

'Will they end up teaching me something about my life?'

If I'm honest, I absolutely hate it. It brings out this anger in me.

'Or can I help them change theirs?'

I enjoy my job. I enjoy my life.

Am I going to change? No.

-Mummy?

-Yes?

COCO SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY

'Like many of us, my working day rarely ends at the office.'

Hello?

-So sorry, can you say that one more time?

-I hit mummy!

-Sorry...

Mummy, I want to go upstairs to watch television.

We're going to have supper first, then watch television, OK?

There was a time quite recently when work did slightly take over.

I wasn't good at turning off my phone or closing my laptop,

and I just felt guilty the whole time.

Coco got really annoyed, started making comments,

and my friends started getting annoyed as well.

For me, it just wasn't worth it.

It was too stressful to be so stressed all the time.

Hiya!

Ooh!

'I'm not the only one feeling stressed.

'One in five of us say our work/life balance is getting worse.'

Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!

'Even more worryingly, last year, for the first time ever,

'stress overtook cancer as the most common reason

'for taking long-term sick leave.'

I just don't know what to do about it.

Like, what, do you just turn off your phone every day,

and what happens if something important happens at work?

-But then...

-Mummy?

-Yeah?

-I don't want you to talk.

-You don't want me to talk any more?

-No, I want you to come.

All right, coming.

-Hello.

-Hello, how are you?

-I'm the baby.

-Are you the baby?

What I want to find out is,

what is it like when work starts to completely take over?

Michael Jarman is only 25,

but has worked his way up from teaboy to high-flying City trader.

In his job, you can make and lose big money in seconds.

If we're going to play this market,

I think we're going to have to go long and short.

But his success comes at a price. A 20-hour day.

'Michael's agreed to squeeze me into his busy day.

'But he's running an hour and a half late.'

Hello!

-I'm so sorry. How are you? You all right?

-Busy man.

-Pleasure.

-I'm so sorry.

-'He's also insisted on bringing his office with him.'

Bye now, bye mate, bye.

Sorry.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It's normally starting anywhere between 4:30am to 5:00am,

depending on how lazy I want to be,

and so, I'll normally be up at five, getting ready, basically.

You've got to think about it like this, right,

the market opens at 8:00am,

right now, although we're shut, it's 4:30am, the US market's open.

So it's kind of consistent. It's non-stop.

I think there's about three hours in a day, between 9pm and 12am,

where you don't really have to pay attention to the markets.

I've slept on the office floor before.

Manager's walked in and my head's been on the desk,

-and he kind of pokes me, and I wake up...

-Oh, my God!

Is it really, really cut-throat and stressful?

About six months into it, I started wearing down,

I had a little nervous breakdown, a stressful period.

Elaborate on "little, mini-breakdown."

A little, mini-breakdown went into a big, mental breakdown.

Not... I managed to keep myself composed,

but, er... Yeah, fell out with family and, you know,

didn't want to talk to anyone, was in a bit of a state.

It wasn't a nice position to be in. But I was all fine after that.

About a year into it, I said, this is my life.

'Michael's laughed off the breakdown,

'but I can't help feeling it's just the tip of the iceberg.'

So can I come and spend a full day with you from beginning to end?

On the basis you don't interrupt.

I can pretend I'm in Sex And The City,

and I've got a really important job.

"SEX AND THE CITY" THEME MUSIC

'5:30am the next morning,

'and I'm feeling more Ugly Betty than Carrie Bradshaw.

'But at least I'm on time.'

I'm not late!

-Hi!

-You've done well.

-Morning!

-How was it?

-Really good.

-Yeah?

-I love getting up at 4:30am(!)

-Is that the time you got up?

Yeah, it's amazing(!)

I've been up, I haven't had any sleep,

I think I've had about an hour's sleep,

you know we went to the boat show last night?

There was an after party that I got roped into,

that I didn't know much about.

And you still get up at this time?

Three... Yeah, three, I've probably had half an hour or an hour's sleep.

-So...

-How do you feel?

-It was...erm...

I've taken a couple of Pro Pluses so far,

so I need to get some Red Bull on the way, yeah.

You can get the coffees in.

-Aah! Oh, my God, what an amazing car.

-You like it?

-Were these energy drinks from last night?

-Yes, they were, Cherry.

-I'm really bad at driving tired.

-Yeah.

And I'm quite prone to falling asleep.

-Oh, my...

-Sorry.

-I'll just keep poking you.

So how many energy drinks will you have today?

Three cans, six pills, to be precise, probably.

-Oh, my... And that will sort you out?

-Yeah. You try it.

-I'm going to try today.

-I think you should. I think you should.

-I'm going to take the same as you, and I'll fly home.

-MICHAEL LAUGHS

-I'm sorry, I have to join you.

-Yeah, go on, go for it.

-You want some pro-plus?

-Yeah.

-Yeah. OK. Take it, take it.

I'm just taking one now.

Take two, take two, it's cool, seriously, you're going to be fine, take two. It's not that bad.

Erm... Meeting, meeting, now.

Quickly, right, we need to go and get a taxi.

Flag one.

'As if the day job isn't stressful enough,

'Michael's also just set up his own company,

'and has several meetings today, all unhelpfully scattered across London.'

You go that way, you go that way!

'It's not a cab we need, it's a time machine.'

Oi, turn around! Cross, cross, cross!

'As Michael's nearly mown down by the 388 bus,

'it's clear just how much he's prepared to sacrifice for his work.'

-Have you had lunch yet, by the way?

-No, when do you have lunch?

You forget about it though, don't you?

I do!

Now that I am so wired, I feel like I could fly to the moon and back.

We'll probably call you towards the end... Oh, it is the end of the week.

Er... Are you about over the weekend, you practising? Golf.

It is quite a rush, all the caffeine, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-And the energy pills.

-It is.

-I am actually, my head's starting to go a little bit now.

-My God!

Yeah, I'm definitely feeling a bit weird.

It's definitely affecting the old heart.

I don't think it's good for you, I won't lie,

I don't think it's brilliant.

-'We arrive at the meeting late.'

-Hi, guys. Neil. Pleasure. Michael.

-Nice to see you.

-Sorry for the delay.

'Michael's new business advises footballers

'on how to invest their money.

'But it's not the money talk that's making my head swim.'

SHE EXHALES HEAVILY

I had to leave the room.

I had to leave. I thought I was going to fall asleep at the table.

I just had to get out.

I'm... Every... Every part of me is just trying to keep my eyes open.

I am so tired, my heart is racing from all the energy drinks

and the caffeine pills.

I do not know how he has done that,

I do not know how he is in there, pitching a business.

He is a machine.

On the one hand, I think... he's crazy, and on the other hand,

I think he's amazing for being able to do this, but it's not healthy.

I do not feel right.

SHE BREATHES OUT

-Cab time it is.

-OK.

-And then back over to the City. Is that cool?

-Yeah.

-Wicked, let's do it. Are you feeling a little bit better?

Yeah, I'm starting to feel slightly less

like I'm about to have a heart attack.

-Good.

-How are you feeling?

-Erm...

I was exactly the same as you in the taxi,

I actually thought I was going to have a panic attack and just faint.

'I worry what this cocktail of caffeine, adrenaline and no sleep

'is doing to Michael.

'So I've asked him to see a doctor

'who specialises in treating cases of City burnout.'

Can you think of some of the things that might happen

due to having very high stress levels on a more constant basis?

-Please don't tell me impotence, eh?

-Absolutely, sexual dysfunction.

MICHAEL SNIGGERS

so, you know, one of the commonest things that men come and see us in the clinic is impotence,

because they're stressed.

I'm not impotent, just first of all, could I just declare.

But my sex drive has just completely gone to the wayside, like.

I'm just not interested in going out and chasing girls, and I used to be.

That was two or three years ago. I couldn't care less.

That's a combination of the fact that you're tired, stressed.

Any recreational drugs?

Do caffeine pills count?

-Do you take caffeine pills?

-Oh, God! Why did you drop me in it?!

-Yeah, I take a lot of Red Bull and Pro Plus.

-Sure.

The lifestyle that you have is putting a big risk

of developing problems with your health in the future.

Is that something that worries you?

Is it something you might look at changing?

I hope to but, yeah. I don't know. I'm always motivated to do it.

-It's just can I balance it between that and work?

-Sure.

I really feel for Michael.

He's really torn. He's so ambitious.

He wants to do well so badly

but it seems like, at every stage, things have been sacrificed -

his diet, sleep, leisure time, time with people he loves.

Gradually, all those things have gone, one by one,

so all Michael is left with is work.

He knows that. I can see it in his face.

Michael tells me it's not all about work.

He's also got a son.

Later on, I'll see whether he can balance fatherhood

with his determination to make it big.

But first, if working hard can be bad for your health,

then playing hard can be equally bad for your wealth.

Our nights out are getting more and more extravagant.

Despite the recession, we Brits import more champagne

than any other country in the world.

Hiya. Can I get two glasses of champagne, please?

I'm definitely in a working place in my life right now.

The problem is the more I work, the bigger the night is

when I actually get to go out.

Next morning, I've got a hangover and an empty purse

to show for my pains.

What price do you pay when you spend all your weekly wages

on one night?

Every morning, 23-year-old Chris from Wolverhampton

gets up before dawn with one thing on his mind -

a cracking Friday night.

Hopefully, all the hard work in the week will have paid off.

Along with his brother, James, and best friends, Jack and Luke,

Chris drives an hour and a half every day

to do eight hours of hard graft on a chicken farm

sorting and stacking boxes of eggs.

It's pretty devastating, soul-breaking but

it'll soon fly and will soon be in Chester.

With the Jaegers.

Jaeger bombs!

Today, it's pay day.

As evening falls, these lads get set to transform themselves

into celebrity A-listers.

Today, is Freshen-up Friday.

It's not a tradition, it's a religion.

Basically, we just completely change our image

because we've all been dirty, stinking, horrible bastards all week.

Today is the day when we turn all that around

and show the world that we are functioning human beings.

Tonight is our night to shine.

Bam.

It's a buzz, at the end of the day. Everyone lives for the weekend,

no matter what job they're in, everyone lives for the weekend.

Hello.

INDISTINCT

It begins with Locos, our favourite migrant worker.

He is just the best hairdresser ever.

£6, please.

It's not just the hair on their heads that's coming off.

Whoo!

I had to pretend it don't hurt!

It's the final part of Freshen-up Friday

and probably the most important part - the tan.

TANNING GUN WHIRS

When we've got our tan, we go out.

The girls look at us like we're from Hollywood,

but really, we're from Wolverhampton.

# So macho

# He's gotta be

# So macho... #

The lads earn about £800 a week between them.

A quarter of that disappears even before they walk out of he door.

Have a great night.

No wonder they have to rely on their wits when pulling the girls.

He says, "D'you wanna a bang?"

It usually works because, look at him, to be fair.

I go up to them and say, "D'you wanna bang?"

And they say yes!

Usually, it works or the brew line.

"Come back for a brew." I drop four sugars in,

semi-skimmed milk the works and they're like, "Yeah." And bang.

You've got them in bed.

Me and Luke always say, "How about me and you,

"we'll got strawberry picking?!"

THEY LAUGH

"I'll pick you up on a BMX, I'll take you to McDonald's.

"Poundsaver menu. You can have what you like.

THEY LAUGH

That's usually, like... We reverse it.

Most lads would go up and promise the world

and deliver nothing.

We'd rather promise nothing and deliver nothing!

THEY LAUGH

Whatever's left from the weekend, we'll beg and borrow off each other,

live off whatever's in the cupboard, pineapple chunks, wham bam.

# Going out tonight... #

But the only pineapple the lads have time for on a Friday

is the one mixed with their voddy.

Chester, we're coming for you.

THEY LAUGH

K-tush!

Just like that, these four factory workers

are transformed into Hollywood heartthrobs.

Lasses of the north, brace yourselves!

Right. We're in Chester. First drink of the night.

-Let's have it!

-Come on!

SHOUTING

-It's the weekend. This is what we live for.

-This is me.

You only live once and that's our motto.

We live by that motto.

We work every day in the week for this.

But we love this.

This is our dream life.

It's 11 o'clock and the boys have already withdrawn £600 between them.

That's three quarters of their weekly wages.

I'll probably end up at the cash point at midnight

because I've reached my withdrawal limit.

# You only get one shot... #

But the lads aren't going to let a little thing like reality

stand in the way of their A-list night

and make a beeline for the VIP room.

-Hello, boys. All right?

-Bottle of champers, bruv. I'm going all out!

THEY CHEER

# You love to drink so do we... #

The champagne, the beautiful girls, the classy nibbles...

The boys are exactly where they want to be.

# Yeah

# Girl, I wanna

# Yeah, yeah, yeah

# I wanna see you tonight... #

We've grafted all week for this

and now we're here with our champagne.

That's my sticky little finger out!

I've got a strawberry in my glass!

# Tonight is the night... #

But what goes up must come down.

Next morning, all the lads have left is hangovers

a few hazy memories and a handful of loose change

to last them six long days.

That's all I've got left.

£6.30. I've got to pay for my breakfast,

I've got to pay for some petrol...

You owe me a fiver!

My life's ruined!

Last night was worth every penny.

Go hard or go home!

I can't wait to meet the boys and find out

how they cope after Freshen-up Friday has cleaned them out.

-You all right?

-Yeah. Can I get you a drink?

I know you guys don't eat properly so I've prepared

for you a delicious plate of fruit.

I'm so glad you're eating it.

Got any Wagon Wheels?

No!

What is it that you really like about that night that you love,

getting really drunk, going out to clubs?

It's like the process of the cave man.

Have you seen the diagram? It's like that.

I leave work like this then by the end of the night, I'm like this.

I feel like I'm the dog's bollocks, you know what I mean?

Do you think it's escapism from a job you don't love?

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

It's something to look forward to the whole week.

What motivates you to spend your money on Freshen-up Friday?

Would you look at a man in a club if he hadn't made any effort?

Totally!

Say he had bushy eyebrows, pale, Asda jeans,

you'd go and talk to him?

Yeah. I'd think he'd look lovely. Charming.

Is all the preening, the eyebrows, the tanning,

is it all worth it?

-Does it make a difference?

-Yeah. It gives you more confidence.

If you feel better about yourself, you'll have a better night out.

When do you feel the stress of how you live?

It's like there's no money,

there's no tea bag, there's no sugar, there's no milk.

We've got half a fag between four of us.

We're pulling our hair out.

At that point, you must think, "I wish I hadn't spent

"quite so much money at the weekend."

Yeah.

-No, I...

-You totally don't!

I just get on with it.

The worst time ever, for me, is going in the penny drawer.

I've got a drawer and it's full of pennies.

I'm counting and counting these pennies.

I've got them on my bed.

There's a pound. There's two pound.

Everyone's got a penny pot and it's depressing when you have to go into it.

-Do you think the way you live is fun? Are you happy?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, it's great.

-It's class.

It's like a rollercoaster. It's constant.

You go from suicidal on a Monday morning

to like euphoric on a Friday afternoon.

As soon as the wages go into the bank,

we've all got smiles on our faces.

Well, those boys definitely know how to live in the moment

and I take my hat off to them for that,

because there's no way I could do it.

One night of glory is definitely not worth six days of pain.

So, I've seen what working hard can do to your health

and what partying hard can do to your wealth,

but sometimes the consequences don't just affect you.

It's the weekend and after my own struggles with Coco,

I'm intrigued to see how Michael fits in being a parent

with his all-consuming dedication to work.

-Ready?

-Morning, Cherry. Let's go. Let's do it. How are we?

-Good.

-How are you this morning?

-I'm good.

-We are about to go and meet your son now, aren't we?

-Yeah.

Tell me a bit about your relationship with him and the setup.

I see him once every other week, which I don't think is enough

but I get him for normally a weekend, so I'll either have him the Friday or early on a Saturday.

You say you'd like to see him more. Why is that?

I didn't have a father in my life, not from a young age anyway.

I said a long time ago, if I ever had a child,

I said I'd never put my child through the experiences

I had to go through as a little man.

And what were those experiences? What do you not want to repeat?

HE LAUGHS Erm...the whole disappointment.

There would the periods where I wouldn't see my dad for... I'm not talking about a week or two weeks,

I'm talking maybe a month, two months. I remember once I think at the age of six, seven,

he was going to take me to the Natural History Museum and I was really looking forward to seeing him

and he never turned up. I started crying.

Four-year-old Jude lives in Brighton with his mum.

Give me a kiss. Come on let's go.

-So, what is the plan for today?

-Fairly relaxed.

That is a day full of entertainment for the little man, but in-between

I'll probably be making a few phone calls and try and reply to a few e-mails.

I've got to get the week ahead setup for Monday.

You can't go in on Monday and then all of a sudden that's it,

you just start working again.

The week ahead has got to be prepared by Monday.

First on Michael's agenda is a haircut.

For himself.

But the next venue looks more promising.

But it soon becomes clear that Michael's focus

is still on self-improvement.

Why can't I get a four?

Michael grew up on a council estate and says he wants better for Jude.

-I just wonder what better means for him.

-Better.

Today's been a bit of a funny one because Michael has said to me

before that he was upset that his dad wasn't around

when he was younger and that he didn't want to make the same mistake

and that Jude is a big priority to him.

But when he was getting his haircut, we just sat on the sofa

and now we're at the golf and I'm kind of babysitting Jude

while Michael works on his game.

Better but left.

And actually this golf session,

really this is indirectly about work.

It's about him bettering his game so that he can be part of those

business deals that happen at the weekend on the golf course.

I just want to know where Jude fits into that?

Eventually Jude gets his dad's undivided attention

and I can see there's a real bond between them.

-Well done. See?

-What are we doing next?

-I don't know.

-What do you want to do?

-Somewhere where you can play.

Somewhere you can play!

It's five o'clock and I'm thrilled that Jude is finally going to get

some quality daddy time.

-Come on, little man. Let's go.

-Let's go!

-Can we go play now?

-Yeah, go.

But my hopes are soon dashed as Michael sets up

office in the kids' canteen and shoos Jude, and me, away.

# I'm full of fun, fancy free

# That's the way I want to be... #

Give us a call when you get a chance, mate,

just to wrap up the meeting that we had the other day.

CHERRY SCREAMS

I nearly killed another child!

Technically speaking,

the group will profit from that, which you will get a cut of.

I'm really shocked because we've come to the play area for Jude

and I knew that Michael had to do some work today,

but the minute we got here, he sat down and started working

and I've been looking after Jude.

Michael got his mum to come down and now she's looking after Jude.

It's just non-stop. It's work, work, work all day.

Either he's doing an activity to benefit his work,

or he's on the phone, and now he's on his laptop.

It's a Saturday and it's the day he's got with Jude, his son.

The million-dollar question, why do you work so hard right now?

For a better future.

-But now is now.

-I know.

-There's no such thing as the future.

I know, I agree but...

I mean there is, I'm being silly, I'm being devil's advocate.

No, I see what you're saying. I'm taking it with reason.

The thing is I've then got friends that apply their now is now theme

-to their life...

-..and the future looks... I understand.

Do you ever worry that your dedication to work takes away

from your relationship with Jude,

which I know is something that's really important to you?

Yeah, I can bring him up here so I can get away for an hour.

This is supposed to be the weekend where I have him.

Things like that aren't good, I understand that, but I'm hoping it's eventually for...

Something's got to give sooner or later

and I've just got to start sacrificing some things

so that I can have a better relationship with Jude.

There's a little part of me that's kind of wagging my finger

at Michael when he talks to me about working too hard, but actually,

who am I to judge because I can really relate to what he's saying.

I'm a working mum, I find it really, really hard.

I think a lot of people struggle with it.

I just really hope that he makes these changes he said today,

so that he feels happier, if that's what makes him happy.

'Two weeks later and I've invited Michael over.'

-Hello!

-Hey, Cherry, how are you? Are you all right?

'I can't wait to find out if anything in his life has changed.'

MOBILE PHONE RINGS

-Oh God!

-Rich. All right, buddy.

Cheers. Thanks for the call. Take care. Bye-bye. Sorry, Chezzer.

So, you look really well.

I feel slightly better than what I used to after our...

-Is it rude to say that you look younger?

-Yeah!

-Because everyone tells me I look 35.

-It is a bit rude but I will say it.

-You look younger.

-I feel like I've got a bit more of a glow to me.

I've been eating healthier, I've still been leaving work late.

Do you think you're a workaholic?

Yes, definitely. But I don't see it as working.

I enjoy it, I enjoy what I do.

Do you think you're addicted to the adrenaline?

Definitely. You get a good buzz when something is coming round the corner

and you can make this from it, or something else is happening and you've lost that.

It's a rollercoaster ride for us.

What do you think you're sacrificing to achieve what you're achieving?

-My family life, my social well-being, my health.

-So, not that much then?

No, just a couple of things here and there. Nothing important.

-Nothing worth thinking about.

-No!

Actually on that subject, how do you think your relationship

with your son is benefiting or suffering from what you do?

This weekend I'm working again

and it seems as if I work most weekends, which is pretty bad.

How do you feel about your son and missing out time with him?

Not good obviously.

It hurts me and it has hurt me deeply sometimes and every time I see him,

it feels as if... He does something new that I've missed out on anyway.

Do you think work is more of a priority to you than parenting?

No. God, no.

A lot of this actually is for him because as I said,

I came from a council house and I grew up in a single-parent household,

so I just want to make sure that he's given the best platform,

to be able to provide him a stable future for when he is older.

Do you think it's worth it for what you're missing now with him?

I know it's not worth it, but I'm doing it anyway

so I'd be a hypocrite to say no, but I enjoy my job.

I enjoy my life. Am I going to change? No.

I feel a bit sad after talking to Michael

because when I first met him,

he told me he wanted something in his life to change, but actually

just speaking to him now,

I don't think that thing is going to be work.

I think actually the thing he's ultimately sacrificing

is his relationship with his son.

I don't think he's really admitted that to himself

and I think if he did, he'd be heartbroken.

'I can't shake the feeling I've been too easy on Michael.

'Maybe that's because I share his guilt.

'Deep down I worry that Coco sometimes misses out too.

'So, I'm starting to see just how serious the consequences can be

'whether you work too hard or play too hard,

'but what happens when you do both at the same time?'

What about if you actually get paid to have fun?

It sounds like the perfect job, but is it?

'I'm on my way to meet Bianca, the up-for-it singleton I met

'when I was looking into relationships.'

I'm like, "I banged you, I banged your mate last week

"and I'm banging your mate tonight, is that all right?"

'I want to know what happens when the boundaries between work

'and play become blurred.

'I've come to her home turf in Essex to meet her

'and her fellow professional party girls.'

-Hello.

-ALL: Hello!

Bianca, Siobhan, and Cece work five nights a week in London clubs.

-What's with the glasses?

-Late nights.

-You'll find out tonight, babe.

-Come on, let me see, is it that bad?

-How long have you been up?

-Three hours' sleep.

-Is that normal?

This is normal, this is like everyday.

-I know that you love a party.

-Oh, yes!

-You're paid to do it?

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-So...how does that work?

I get hot girls out on the street, or I contact them through

Facebook or Twitter and I bring them all in the club.

I get paid for each girl coming in the club

and I just make sure they have a good time,

and we just party all night.

On average, how much would you make in one night?

Probably make about 300, maybe a bit more than that.

That's quite a lot of money.

It's quite hard because obviously you're working, it's like commission-based.

So if you don't have the people, you don't get paid.

-Do the clubs just let anyone in?

-No. They've got to be glam, gorgeous.

So on the door they veto girls who aren't attractive enough.

Yeah, and they'll just be like, yeah.

Some clubs will just literally say, "No,

"you can come in, you can come in, but your friend can't."

-It's a cut-throat world.

-It is, it's really superficial.

It's quite sad really.

'As well as having to find good- looking girls to get in the door,

'these three are under constant pressure to look good themselves.

'That's not exactly my idea of fun,

'but there's only one way to find out!'

-Do you think I would cut the mustard?

-Definitely!

-Hell, yeah!

-You're probably going to need to help me a little?

-Yeah, can't wait!

It's so exciting!

-Cheers, babies!

-Yeah!

Oh, God! God help me!

# Baby, baby, we're on the right... #

Cinderella WILL go to the club - just not in these clothes.

-I really like these.

-You can't wear these tonight, babe.

-You want to get IN the club!

-But they look so comfortable!

-No.

-No, no!

-Put them down.

-I love them.

Are there rules about how much flesh you should or shouldn't show?

Yeah. Erm, if you're going to show your boobs,

you shouldn't be showing your stomach.

-Right.

-Like, you can't wear, like,

just a bra top like that, with your boobs hanging out,

then your stomach hanging out, and your legs as well - that's not hot.

-So it's choose your flesh.

-You need to look hot.

-Classy...

-Yeah, classy. Not like... a hooker, basically.

-Yeah.

Please don't make me look like a hooker!

I'm a bit scared. Bye!

Is there a particular colour that...will help you pull?

-I like gold.

-Red.

-Gold for me. Gold, gold, gold.

-What's your favourite colour to wear?

-D'you know what?

-I wear black, brown...

-Boring.

-..beige...

-Boring.

-Boring.

-..bottle green.

-Yeah.. You wear safe colours.

-Boring, boring.

-Really safe...

-You don't like to stand out.

-I don't like standing out.

-Whoo!

-Whoo!

-I love it!

-What do you think?

Heart, heart...

-You like really sick.

-Really?

You want everyone to look at you. That is definitely the one.

-Oh!

-That's great!

-Get in there!

-Get in there!

It's four in the afternoon, and the girls get to work

chasing down commissions from their office.

Do you think that you're businesswomen?

Yeah, we're definitely... I think we're doing our little thing.

-But the party industry is so big.

-Yeah.

You think there's a recession on - there's people spending

thousands and thousands of pounds every day.

-Yeah.

-The nightlife industry is just...

makes so much money, you'd never believe.

What are your aims for the future?

To have fun, because you know what? Life is too short.

You could be gone tomorrow. At least you could say,

"I had a bloody good life."

I don't even live for the weekend,

I live for the now. I don't even think about the weekend.

-You just live for the now.

-You live for the tonight.

Yeah. I live for the tonight.

Yeah!

# Na-na-na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na... #

It's fun.

# I'm lookin' in the mirror

# And I think I'm liking what I see... #

Oh, my God, I'm so pale, you can see the veins in my legs!

-Number one rule - tan.

-Oh, it's cold!

Oh, my God!

You need to look dark. It's all about the tan.

I feel like a turkey, like you're basting me.

-Darker the better.

-Darker the better - go for gold.

So just go through everything that a girl needs to do

to look great.

-Erm...

-Exfoliate.

-Exfoliate, shave...

-Yeah.

Everywhere - your arms, your legs, your fanny, everything.

Ha-ha-ha!

-Get rid of ALL the hair.

-All the hair.

-All natural hair.

It's up to you, but,

personally I just think it's clean.

-Personally, my personal preference.

-Yeah.

-Whatever.

If you like a muff, have a muff! Whatever! You know?

Is it hard work, this work?

-Yeah.

-It is hard work.

-For me, I do it to go to uni,

like, to get myself through uni, to pay for it.

And when it's like coming to a bill or something,

I need that money, and I need to get the girls there.

Who are you dressing for, the girls or the guys?

-The girls.

-The girls.

-Definitely, yeah.

-Really?

It is important. You have to look good. You want to look good, though.

You don't want to feel rough.

On the dance floor, you want to be shaking your booty...

-This is what we're there for.

-That's what I mean.

We are basically the main party-starters.

We're there to start the party, so we've got to look good,

we've got to have a wicked attitude, we can't just sit there,

we have to dance, smile, bring the party, that's what we're there for.

# All the boys and the girls They got it going on... #

'OK, so I do quite enjoy the glamming up,

'but there's a long night of trying to STAY glamorous ahead of me.'

What if they don't let me in?

We have created a masterpiece!

'I AM the party-starter, the wicked party-starter!

'Oh, yeah!'

Oh, my God, I look so different. That's so weird!

God!

You have to stand in a certain way to pull it off. You can't...

-No, you've got to be confident.

-Confident, yeah.

-I suppose tonight, this is my work outfit.

-Yeah.

-Let's go to work!

-Whoo!

-Yeah, let's make some money!

-Let's make some money!

-Yeah!

'These girls seem happy as Larry about working till dawn

'five nights a week, but maybe that's because they're don't have

'full-time responsibilities. I'm about to do an eight-hour shift

'in stilettos, and then go back to being a mum.

'Help!'

But I only have one child, one husband and one job.

Imagine the pressure of having one child,

no husband

and FOUR jobs!

I'm on my way today to Doncaster,

to meet a woman called Katie.

Erm, I think she's a bit of a super-mum.

She's got four jobs. It'll be interesting to see

how she juggles it all.

Katie is 26, but she's already saved up enough to buy

-her own house.

-My parents have always

drilled into me from a young age to work, work and work.

She earns a modest salary working in admin

for the NHS, but has a taste for the finer things in life.

-How much?

-That was 995 from New York.

'The secret to Katie's success is hard graft.

'On top of the day job,

'she works part-time as a barmaid, dancer and model.'

I would literally shovel shit, as long as it meant I was earning a wage

to be able to give my son a good lifestyle.

-I love you.

-Love you!

'From one working mum to another, I want to find out

'how she does it.'

"7.55 - leave house, 8.30 - start work.

"Three o'clock to 6.30 - Charlie, after-school club.

"4.30, finish work."

I mean, it's military. Do you think you push yourself too hard?

I think I push myself too hard doing this!

-Why do you do it?

-I want to be good at everything,

and obviously it comes at a price, which, you're always

poorly, and stuff like that.

-Like, I'm feeling really poorly at the moment.

-Tell me what's going on,

-why...?

-I've got a water infection,

and I think I've got a stomach bug - I'm trying not to be sick!

-So you've actually got... Is that cystitis?

-Yeah, yeah.

-You've got cystitis at the moment.

-Yeah.

Why are you not in bed?

Haven't got time!

'Katie's doctor has prescribed antibiotics,

'but they don't seem to be working yet.'

Shivering.

Yeah. You're... You're shaking.

You're actually shaking.

My heart is going 10 to the dozen as well, which I don't like.

Yeah. Do you know? I know this - cystitis

-is the working mum's illness.

-I know.

It's when you've pushed yourself too far.

My legs are aching, they're in pain, my legs.

You're literally... You're shaking like a leaf.

I'm going to have to just sit down, I'm sorry.

I think you should sit down.

Oh! >

'Katie's really ill tonight. I've just left her. Erm...'

I just hope she gets some sleep tonight, and feels better tomorrow.

We'll see.

The next morning, Katie looks better, and is on her way

to a bridal wear photoshoot.

However, it's soon clear how she's managing -

prescription painkillers.

They're only paracetamols, but the strongest you could possibly get.

Amazing!

-Feel really great?

-Yeah, fine.

-Except for the massive

-stomach pains.

-Yeah, they'll go in about an hour!

# Is it the look in your eyes...? #

Straight at the camera, Katie. That's it, lovely.

Straight at the camera.

# Baby, I think I want to marry you... #

She's all right now - adrenaline

is keeping her going, but there will come a point

where her body just can't function any more.

She's pulling it out of the bag,

and I don't know where she's getting that energy from, I really don't.

'Katie's also a dancer on the working men's club circuit,

'and spends every other weekend gigging around the country.

'Never one to pass up a chance for a dance,

'I join her rehearsal...'

HIGH-TEMPO DANCE MUSIC PLAYS

'She's on really strong painkillers,'

because she's got a headache and stomach pains.

She has not stopped.

'It's 5pm, and while Katie's mum picks up Charlie

'from after-school club, Katie arrives for her final shift,

'pulling pints in her dad's pub.'

-Cheers.

-Pleasure, me darling.

Katie has a really, really strong work ethic.

-Mmm.

-Has that come from you?

We've always said, "If you want to earn some money,

"you've got to go out there, we're not just going to give you money."

Why do you think Katie does it all?

She likes pressure, she's got to be under pressure to do something,

otherwise, she's lost, really.

Why is working hard so important?

It's the proudness, it's...work, it's the fact

that you're working, earning your own money, you're independent.

Anybody who's active, working and getting up, it makes you feel better.

Is stress quite enjoyable for you?

It's a different type of stress - you can't say it's stressful.

For me, it's an enjoyment, it's the adrenaline rush.

People go skiing, jumping out of planes or bungee jumping -

I do this, and that's my rush.

Do you think you can keep this pace up?

Well, I'm young, I may as well get as much out of life

as possible until, like, something hits me.

I really admire Katie, but I do worry that something

IS going to kick her, sooner rather than later.

But I couldn't have predicted what happened next.

Two days after I left her, Katie was rushed to hospital.

And, two weeks later, she is still there.

-What has happened?

-Well, I am in hospital and I have been for ages.

I got a kidney infection but then it turned into septicaemia as well.

-Oh, God!

-I have been really, really poorly.

The doctor said the reason that I was not responding was because I was exhausted as well,

like, so my body was like recovering from exhaustion

as well as everything else.

When you get home, do you think you will take it easy?

Um, yeah I am.

I have kind of, like,

cancelled everything that I had in my diary until the end of March.

Katie, it sounds like you are actually taking your foot off the accelerator!

Yeah, it has been a bit of a wake-up call

because it was really scary and I have been really, really poorly.

I am so sorry that you have been ill, it sounds awful, but I am

really glad that you're going to take a bit more time for yourself.

-Yes, definitely.

-OK, my love, well, take care.

All right, bye! Bye!

So it sounds like Katie has been really ill.

It is a shame that she has had to be hospitalised to realise

that she has been perhaps pushing herself a little bit too hard.

It is ironic that Katie's healthy attitude to hard work has made her so ill.

Now back to Bianca and her friends,

who also have a healthy attitude to work.

They mix it with fun,

but I am about to find out if that comes with its own price tag.

This West End club has hired three Glamazons

and one slightly uncomfortable wallflower

to get their party started, if I can get past the promoter's beady eye that is!

I expect them to turn up dolled up to the max, um,

looking to entice people to come into the club, dancing

in the club, make people spend and want to generally have fun

and think that your night is the best night in the West End.

-This is Cherry, she is hot stuff.

-Nice to meet you.

-Are you all right?

-Yeah, I heard you're the man who lets people in?

-Oh, yes.

Wayhey! Ooh!

-10 out of 10!

-Sexy!

-Am I allowed in?

-You're the best so far of the five.

-Shut up, babe!

And here's how it works.

The girls earn £10 for every girl they get into the club.

CC has already got four.

Their guests get free entry and free drinks.

The girls then attract the boys and the boys spend a lot of money

- simple really!

The party girls look after their guests and, most importantly,

liven up the club.

Now, if I could just enter into the spirit!

What I am realising is that there is nothing less fun than being

made to have fun.

The pressure to have fun, to dance and have a great time,

when actually, inside I am feeling a bit awkward, not very confident...

But those girls,

the pressure that they are feeling is that it doesn't matter what

they are feeling, they have to be having the best time ever!

And it is actually quite stressful.

It feels a little bit like a cattle market,

all the girls dancing in the middle and all the boys are looking

on as though choosing which one they are going to pick off.

I feel really uncomfortable, and actually,

if I'm being honest, I absolutely hate it.

It brings out this anger in me that somebody might be watching me,

picking out whether they want to be with me

based on whether my bum looks good or my tits are big enough.

It makes me so angry. It is so not my... It is awful.

But, after my little rant,

a triple vodka helps steady my nerves for the next challenge.

Bianca has a lucrative sideline in a podium dancing

and has somehow persuaded me to join her.

-Here you are.

-Great(!)

Nice knickers, and they are brand-new.

-Please have bum, please have bum!

-Yes, they are nice.

How much extra cash do you get from doing your dancing?

From this club, an extra £70.

Dance work is reliable work, obviously promoting is not

reliable because you don't know, girls might not turn up.

But the dancing is reliable work and I actually pay my rent with that work.

-Do you think that you earn your money?

-Yes, definitely.

I shake my arse out there!

-How much does alcohol play in it?

-Well, I don't get too wasted.

I mean I am actually feeling a bit wayhey at the moment,

but, normally if you are going to go out and you have to dance,

normally I am quite responsible until after the night

is finished and then I go onto the after parties.

That is when I let my hair down a bit!

That is a picture of yourself!

She is like...!

Bianca, we have got money to earn, yeah?

Got money to earn.

-Are we ready to do this?

-Dutch courage, it is the only way.

All right, here we go.

Ready?

MUSIC: Bad Girls by M.I.A

Slowly, my inhibitions dissolve

and I finally connect with my inner sex goddess!

Well, I definitely enjoyed that more than I thought I would.

It is really hard to know

whether that feeling of being really sexy and looked at

is the alcohol or whether that's me, I don't know.

I think that's part of the evening,

is that the alcohol really helps to cover some of the awkwardness.

I just don't think I'm cut out for this line of work.

What I felt uncomfortable about

was that it was a bit of a cattle market,

The guys looking at the girls,

the girls looking at the guys, is that just the way it is?

The West End is pretty much like that,

guys are standing looking at girls and they don't come over

until they see a bottle of champagne go over, that is

when the girls think, "Right, let's get over to those fellas."

As soon as you girls are partying and dragging the boys in,

the boys start to get their money out and spend.

Would you pay me to be a party girl?

I would.

Definitely.

It's my plan B!

No, it isn't! I know it, you know it, we all know it.

A few days later and it is the girls' turn

to visit me in my office.

I want to know how they cope with the pressures of the job.

Take a pew!

One of the things that I did not like that night,

and I felt a bit uncomfortable with,

was that there seemed to be a bit of a cattle market thing in the

middle, so all of the girls go into the middle and do this sort of...

Mmm-mm-mmm...

THEY GIGGLE

And all the boys surround them and look at them, and it felt

a little bit like the boys were selecting which could be wanted.

I did not like that at all! It made me feel really violated actually.

When the guys look at you, it attracts them

to buy more alcohol for you.

They come over and ask you if you want more drinks.

So, it is like a transaction?

You stand in the middle and kind of offer something,

offer this temptation?

And the boys spend the money?

Do you not mind, sometimes, being looked at like that though,

just for how you look, just because you're offering a sexy image?

-I love it!

-It gets your ego going if I'm honest!

For me, if I am on the dancefloor and all them guys are watching,

I'm glad they're doing that, because it is like, yeah, I'm going to show you...

I think it depends because, obviously, everyone is different.

You don't really like it, do you?

It's how you carry yourself as well,

so I don't really go in the middle and start giving it all that,

because for me it is work, and I am there to make sure everybody

else has a good time, I don't necessarily have to do that.

I don't feel that I should have to. And, you don't always

have to do that to get attention.

In a way, you are kind of the go-between,

you're bringing the girls in to get the guys to spend the money.

It is a bit of a transaction. Isn't it a bit pimpy?

Kind of, I think it depends on the individual and how you act

and how you are perceived.

We are there to simply bring in hot girls and have a good time.

Now, it is up to them girls as to how they carry themselves

and how they want to be perceived, to how they put themselves across.

Have you ever been approached to have sex in your job?

Oh, God, yes! On Sunday, I got approached by a bouncer to tell me

to go over to this table.

I just thought he wanted me to go on to his table and have a drink,

but then all I heard was, "How much?"

and after that I was like, right, I'm not that, I am a promoter.

I have nothing against it for those girls,

but I am just saying that, myself, I wouldn't do it.

-So, is it all worth it?

-ALL: Definitely.

We are out, we are having fun, we're young,

we're not doing anything wrong

and we're making our friends come out for free, have a good time

and we're doing, essentially,

is making fond memories for when we are older.

I can't think of many jobs where having to deny that you're

on the game is an occupational hazard, but these girls manage

to work hard, play hard, and for now they are getting away with it.

So I've met people who work incredibly hard,

and as a consequence have sacrificed some really important things in their lives.

And I've met people who play really hard,

and as a result, suffer for seven days of the week.

I definitely really struggle to find the right

balance between working and playing,

and I definitely could switch off a little bit more.

So I'm going to bite the bullet, and start now.

Next time, I'll be finding out what money does to our relationships.

-The older we get, the more expensive we get!

-The more expensive we get.

-Do you love that control?

-Yes, of course I do. I am a control freak!

Can money buy you love?

Kiss my feet, slave!

-So, you just get guys to give you money? Money?

-Pretty much!

And can love survive without it?

Their relationship has been put under so much pressure.

I ate gone-off tinned beans once.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media