0:00:05 > 0:00:07IN ITALIAN:
0:00:38 > 0:00:42Maurizio's farm in the southern Tuscan hills is up for sale.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47Before he sells,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51he's handing over the running of his business to ten strangers.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54- Hello!- Oh, hello.- Bottom's up!
0:00:54 > 0:00:56They all share the same dream...
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I am too young to go in my rocking chair quite yet.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04..of starting a new life in Italy.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08Being a farmer, living in Tuscany is what I should be doing.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11But this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
0:01:11 > 0:01:12comes with responsibility.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14What have you done all morning?
0:01:14 > 0:01:16You will not get an answer from me.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19By taking over the whole farm,
0:01:19 > 0:01:21they must tend the 13-acre vineyard...
0:01:21 > 0:01:25It's just really, really hard work.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28..and five acres of olive trees...
0:01:28 > 0:01:31The little babies are starting to be made into oil.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34..as well as breathe new life into the bed and breakfast...
0:01:34 > 0:01:36I can't quite believe this is happening.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38..and serve food to paying customers.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42Come with us to our...ristorante.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47This is their chance to put their dreams to the test.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49COUNTS IN ITALIAN
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Right, we perhaps need someone who speaks Italian to know
0:01:52 > 0:01:54what that's saying.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56After two months, will any of the group
0:01:56 > 0:01:59decide to buy the farm together?
0:01:59 > 0:02:03I'd never be able to afford to do this sort of thing on my own.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Or will they find other ways to make Tuscany their new home?
0:02:07 > 0:02:09What could possibly go wrong?
0:02:15 > 0:02:17It's summer in Italy,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21and these ten strangers are moving into the La Banditaccia.
0:02:22 > 0:02:2390 miles from Florence,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27the farm nestles in the hills of rural southern Tuscany.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29Thank you.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33'I'd always expected to have done something for me
0:02:33 > 0:02:35'by the time I was 50.'
0:02:35 > 0:02:38And all of the sudden, 50 appeared,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40and that hasn't happened.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42I can't believe how big this is.
0:02:42 > 0:02:43Arriving at their new home,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46where they will live for the next two months,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48they meet each other...
0:02:48 > 0:02:49- Hello.- Hi!
0:02:49 > 0:02:51..for the first time.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- Tracy.- Rob. Nice to meet you.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56What I'd love to get out of moving to Italy is being able
0:02:56 > 0:02:58to say I did this,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I took a chance, a massive chance, and then I made it happen.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04- I'm Karen, hi.- Tracy.- Hi, nice to meet you.- Pleased to meet you.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07- The view, this is just... - Come and have a look.- ..beautiful.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09I always thought I'd like to run a B&B.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12I hope the reality will live up to the dream.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14I think it's going to be amazing.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24The 18th-century farmhouse lies at the centre of a 250-acre estate.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Olive groves line the driveway
0:03:28 > 0:03:31and a vineyard looks out over the valley.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36It's been run as a business by Maurizio and his wife
0:03:36 > 0:03:39for the last 20 years.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Absolutely perfect.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Basically, I just want a different life, away from...
0:03:44 > 0:03:47what I've got used to for the last 36 years.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53These new arrivals are united by a desire to change their lives,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56but have come for very different reasons.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58I think I've died and gone to heaven.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59I do.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02'I'm looking to rediscover the Lesley
0:04:02 > 0:04:04'that I use to know many years ago,'
0:04:04 > 0:04:07the one that had hopes, the dreams, the aspirations,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09before life slapped me in the face a few times
0:04:09 > 0:04:11and made me disillusioned.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12I'm Andy.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- Karen, hi.- Karen.- Hi.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15I'm Lesley.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20Wow, wonderful place.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23It's incredible. Absolutely incredible.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Living with nine other people,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27it's always going to create some challenges,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29but I think we'll all get on. I hope we all get on.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30Hello.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31I'm Altaf.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Hi, I'm Andy.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- Andy, pleased to meet you. And you are?- Hello, I'm Lesley.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- Lesley, pleased to meet you. - Three.- Oh, three!
0:04:39 > 0:04:41THEY LAUGH
0:04:41 > 0:04:42- Hello!- Oh, hello!
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- Another one. I'm Gavin.- I'm Andy.
0:04:45 > 0:04:46Pleased to meet you, Andy, how are you?
0:04:46 > 0:04:49'One of the things I'm particularly interested in is wine,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51'grapes and olive oil.'
0:04:51 > 0:04:53That's where my main interest is lying.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55- Bottoms up.- Salute.
0:04:55 > 0:04:56Tin-tin.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59Salute!
0:05:02 > 0:05:06- Hi, I'm Robert. Good to meet you. - Oh, my God, this is heavy.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08With introductions out of the way...
0:05:08 > 0:05:10- I'm Chi.- Hi.- Pleasure to meet you.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Sorry, I'm a bit of a hugger.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15..the group settle into their new surroundings.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- Beautiful view, isn't it?- Gorgeous.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20So, can anybody speak Italian?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- No.- Non parlo italiano.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45- English, definitely. - Which one's Scottish?- That.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46'The first impression of the group
0:05:46 > 0:05:48'is they all seem lovely at the moment.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:50But I suppose, if you ask me in a week's time,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52I'll let you know a different answer.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55I have kind of warmed to Altaf. He seems really cool.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57I was feeling a bit scared, I guess, in a way.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59He came up and gave me a hug and was like, "I'll look after you."
0:05:59 > 0:06:01THUNDER ROLLS SOFTLY
0:06:04 > 0:06:08As a summer storm hits the farm and the new arrivals get
0:06:08 > 0:06:11their first taste of the temperamental Tuscan weather...
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- Ours was this one, I think. - Is that the bathroom?- Oops.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19It seems that not everyone has been seduced by the rustic charm
0:06:19 > 0:06:21of La Banditaccia.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23This room is dirty. Even on the ground.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24This is like animal stuff.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Look at this. This can't be real.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30So much time and effort with the decor.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31Where is the bed?
0:06:31 > 0:06:33HE LAUGHS
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Tuscany is famed for its storms.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39I just thought that this is meant to be
0:06:39 > 0:06:41one of the best times of the year.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Yeah, for rains.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47I'm well aware that people would probably, on first impressions,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49look at me and be like, "How's she going to survive
0:06:49 > 0:06:51"in the country?"
0:06:52 > 0:06:54But I think I'll be all right.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Everything is about adapting, and I'm good at that.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02So, Mr Chef, what are you making?
0:07:03 > 0:07:07Gavin, a trained chef with hospitality experience,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10makes a start on an Italian classic.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13- So, what do you reckon, spaghetti bolognese?- Yep.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- Do you need butter, Gav? - Yes, I do.
0:07:17 > 0:07:18How many people do you cook for?
0:07:18 > 0:07:23I don't like cooking for one, that's just a pointless exercise.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25- And very sad.- And very sad.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27So I wouldn't do that.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29'I think the thing I'm looking to achieve from now on is
0:07:29 > 0:07:31'to have a nice relationship with somebody.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33'I've been single for quite some time now,'
0:07:33 > 0:07:36and it is difficult, I suppose, you know, on a personal level.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39The older you get, the harder it is to find somebody.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41- Is that your wine, Chef?- Yes.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Call me Keith Floyd.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45I think I'm ready for that.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Here's to our first night,
0:07:48 > 0:07:53our first meal and hopefully the start of something that is
0:07:53 > 0:07:56going to be the most amazing adventure we've ever been on
0:07:56 > 0:07:57in our lives.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01- I'll drink to that. - Cheers, cheers.- Chin-chin.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16I really want to learn about making wine.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18It's one of the greatest wine-producing countries
0:08:18 > 0:08:21in the world, why would you not want to learn from these guys?
0:08:21 > 0:08:22You know, for me, because I've done...
0:08:22 > 0:08:24I've studied wine and I'm really passionate about it,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28while I'm here, I'd like to embrace that, if that's OK with everyone.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30I'm just really passionate about food.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33And my career has always been in IT.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35It's given me great financial return,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37but it doesn't give me anything stimulating.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39I'm here to learn about farming.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41I want to get food from the field to the fork.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43And that's what I'm here for.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- Didn't see you in the kitchen earlier, love.- Ooh!
0:08:48 > 0:08:49There wasn't a lot of space.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53There's loads of space in that kitchen.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54What I hope we'll do, Gill, while we are here,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57is support one another rather than attack one another.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59I'm only joking.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01I just thought I'd get that in there.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- Brilliant. Do you want to go next, Gill?- No.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I'm all good. I'm all good.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Well, what do you want to do?
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- What were you hoping to do while you are here?- Just...
0:09:13 > 0:09:17I just want a different life, one that I didn't have before.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Hm. What does that look like?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21I don't know, I haven't seen it yet,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23but, yeah, I'm really happy to learn.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58As dawn breaks,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01the group begin their second day on the farm together.
0:10:01 > 0:10:02Eggs on toast.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Yeah, works for me.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08- How's it going?- All right, buddy.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09They have a busy week ahead,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12getting to grips with learning to run the estate.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18But first, they need Maurizio, the owner of the farm,
0:10:18 > 0:10:19to show them around.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22HE SPEAKS ITALIAN
0:10:22 > 0:10:26He's brought his friend Christine to help translate.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30I think we can go down here. Yeah, this looks good.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33The beginning of autumn is a time when Tuscan farmers
0:10:33 > 0:10:36have to work the hardest to make the most money.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Throughout this time,
0:10:38 > 0:10:42the group will be totally responsible for running the farm.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46It's a unique opportunity to see if the dream of a new life,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50living off the land, lives up to reality.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52The olive trees that you see here, in this field,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54that's what you'll be picking.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07What type of health and safety equipment is required
0:11:07 > 0:11:09and what type of training is required
0:11:09 > 0:11:11to pluck the olives from the trees?
0:11:13 > 0:11:14LAUGHTER
0:11:14 > 0:11:17It's very nice pick olives.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22It's really very nice, because this is a tree that is so old.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24When you pick it, they have a lot to tell us.
0:11:24 > 0:11:30But it is a very important part of the income to the farms, yeah.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Oh, look here. Bella.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38The vineyard, Maurizio's pride and joy, covers 5-and-a-half hectares
0:11:38 > 0:11:43and thrives on the fertile soil of these ancient volcanic slopes.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45It's an electric fence.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47It's here because of the wild boars,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49because if not, they would jump in and eat the grapes.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52Tempted by the scent of ripe grapes,
0:11:52 > 0:11:57wild boar can devour the vines, causing devastating damage.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01In Italian, cinghiale means wild boar.
0:12:04 > 0:12:05And it's delicious.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Checking and maintaining the fence will be crucial.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15It's a 2km to walk around, every day,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19to control if the fence is OK.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- It's not broken and, yeah.- So when do you want to us to start the walk?
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- Tomorrow.- OK.- Yeah.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- Si.- This is a wild boars. - This is new.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28They are fresh.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32She's got piglets.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35- Yeah, the small ones. - So that's when she's dangerous?- Yes.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43- You'll be fine, you've got this. - I've been to the Forest of Dean.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56- And you want us to pick all these? - Of course, Maurizio.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58THEY SPEAK ITALIAN
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Si, yes, of course.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04How long does it take to harvest the entire crop?
0:13:08 > 0:13:09What?!
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Yeah, yeah. If you really pick from morning to evening, yeah.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20..and my life.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24So it's a pretty big responsibility for us to do this, and get it right.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26- Yes.- A whole year's work, yeah.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28- Yeah, I know.- Yeah. - Let's crack on, then.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32- Andiamo?- Si.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40I still find it very unbelievable
0:13:40 > 0:13:43that he expects us to actually pick all those grapes.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47And I can't believe, in a way, how hilly it is.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50The sheer scale of this has blown me away.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54We're just not used to that sort of intensive labour.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Inspired by the possibilities the farm offers them,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23the group are eager to decide who is in charge of what,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25starting with the crucial job
0:14:25 > 0:14:29of keeping the wild boar out of the vineyard.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31- And you're OK with walking the line? - Yeah, I'll walk the line.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I need one other person, just for health and safety,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37because there are boar with piglets out there, one person on his own,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40in case anything does happen, it needs two people.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42In case you get eaten?
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Just saying...
0:14:44 > 0:14:47All right. OK. I'm a wimp, but I'll do it.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52With the role of checking the perimeter fence filled by Andy,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56talk turns to who should manage the impending grape harvest.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02The number one priority, the biggest income for this farm is the vine.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04- This is your domain.- Yeah.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08I, for one, am more than happy to go along with whatever you're saying
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- because it's something you know. - I agree.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- 100%. - I don't mind doing that at all.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16It might piss us off a bit, really, that you're telling us what
0:15:16 > 0:15:19to do, but out of all the novices,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21you're the one who knows the most.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Harvest manager.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I think kind of the position I was given was a bit of
0:15:26 > 0:15:29a get-out-of-jail-free card for a lot of people.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31They were like, "He knows about wine, give it to him."
0:15:31 > 0:15:33And if you think about it, right, they're like,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36"Oh, you know about this stuff," I'm like, "Hang on a second,
0:15:36 > 0:15:37"I worked in a wine shop."
0:15:37 > 0:15:41- Do you want a badge? - I think he does.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43'I've managed projects.'
0:15:43 > 0:15:45I've managed people. I'm passionate about wine.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48So it kind of does make sense, but it was a bit of a...
0:15:48 > 0:15:49"Give it to him!"
0:15:55 > 0:15:58- Good morning.- Morning.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02As the sun rises over the Amiata valley,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Andy starts on the first of his daily battles to stop
0:16:06 > 0:16:09the wild boar destroying the ripening grapes.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17You can see the tunnel through the woods, that's the pathway,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21that's the track of where the boars come in.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24And they'd obviously come up last night and pushed this up
0:16:24 > 0:16:29against...pushed this up against the fence, which insulates it,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32which allows them to get through and into the vine.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34It's good exercise.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36I want to get fitter cos, in my previous life,
0:16:36 > 0:16:38I was sat in front of a computer.
0:16:40 > 0:16:46What is better than having to do a 3km walk every morning?
0:16:51 > 0:16:54In the last few years, it was getting less and less,
0:16:54 > 0:16:59my physical activity, and that's what led to my heart attack
0:16:59 > 0:17:05about 18 weeks ago, so this is, I think,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07the best remedy, to be honest.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14I'm a retired detective,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16served with the Metropolitan Police
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and Hertfordshire Constabulary for 31 years.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26I ended up being a Specialist Firearms Officer
0:17:26 > 0:17:29on Scotland Yard's Anti-Human Trafficking Unit.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Stun grenades, distraction devices,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36rescuing hostages, basically saving people's lives.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I guess I'm possibly an adrenaline junkie.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43And adrenaline is not good for the heart.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47The heart attack was the wake-up call that I needed
0:17:47 > 0:17:52to start cleansing myself of all those horrors I've seen.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57Being here now is the best thing for me at this time.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00It's a challenge,
0:18:00 > 0:18:04but I just need to be a little less action man and a bit more gardener.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08And I'm loving it.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12This is...heaven! To me.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18The rest of the group prepare for their third day
0:18:18 > 0:18:21on the farm together.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25They are eager to start bringing their plans to life.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27I've just come to check out the vegetables.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29'Living off the land
0:18:29 > 0:18:31'has been my dream for so long'
0:18:31 > 0:18:33that I want to see if it really is
0:18:33 > 0:18:36what I want.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40And Karen and Gavin want to provide fresh eggs to B&B guests
0:18:40 > 0:18:42that come to stay.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47All right, so what we need to get over is we want chickens that
0:18:47 > 0:18:50are going to lay eggs immediately, so how do we break that down?
0:18:50 > 0:18:54OK. Gosh. This is like a real chicken farm.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59- Right, do you remember the phrase? - Oh, God.
0:19:09 > 0:19:10That's 20 chickens.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I've just translated something by mistake.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15I've got something about donkeys here now.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24Oh, OK, right.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Easy. Let's go and find someone who can do it.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28- Buongiorno.- Buongiorno.- Buongiorno.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- HE SPEAKS ITALIAN - Do you understand English?
0:19:31 > 0:19:34- A little.- We'll work together.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- Venti pollo. - Ah, una ventina di polli.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39THEY SPEAK ITALIAN
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Possible?
0:19:40 > 0:19:41Possible, it's possible.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43- C'est possible, venti?- Yeah.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47- Ah!- Oh, yes!
0:19:47 > 0:19:50The farmer invites them to hand pick their chickens...
0:19:50 > 0:19:53That one just winked at me, so we're going to get that one.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59..with varying degrees of success.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- Ah! This is the professional.- OK.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Perfetto.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12- Una.- Lovely.
0:20:12 > 0:20:13That's nice. OK.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17- Due.- Due.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21They pay 200 euros for their 20 chickens...
0:20:21 > 0:20:22- Grazie mille.- Thank you.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25OK, we're finished. Full 20.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27..and head back to the farm.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30- Bye-bye.- Come on, let's take our family home.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33- I haven't smelled this bad in years. - Oh, my God.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37OK.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40God. Oh, we've even brought flies with us.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42The flies from the chickens.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02Hey, kids, we're home.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07- So, did you get 20? 20 little beasts?- Yeah, 20.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Any particular breed, any...?
0:21:10 > 0:21:11They're black.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Hello, baby girl.
0:21:13 > 0:21:14Come on, ladies.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15All you single ladies!
0:21:15 > 0:21:19They are delighted to have breathed new life into the farm.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23- 20 chickens. Two each. - Cute, aren't they?- Well done.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26But it appears there is a slight problem.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
0:21:30 > 0:21:3111, 12...
0:21:31 > 0:21:33- 15, 18. There are 18.- There are 18. - There are 18.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- We still have lost two. - We are missing two!
0:21:36 > 0:21:38- You've picked the two...?- 20.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44We paid for 20 chickens, but when we got back, there were 16.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46So we counted them again and there was 15.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48We counted them again, a third time, and then there was 17.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51And then somebody else counted them and, apparently, there were 18.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54So we're hoping, if we leave them overnight, in the morning,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56there will be 20. But right now, there's 18.
0:21:59 > 0:22:0218 chickens are just the beginning.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04The group have far more ambitious ideas
0:22:04 > 0:22:06for their new life on the farm.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Keen to provide home-cooked food to their B&B guests,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Tracy and Chi clean the portico,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17the perfect space for alfresco dining.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19If we're going to try and be different,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21- we've got to bring something different to the table.- Yeah.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24It's already linked up to be able to have music and things,
0:22:24 > 0:22:26so if we have some African music or something?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29It's kind of like African Tuscan, you know what I mean?
0:22:29 > 0:22:31It's sort of like, you know, got a bit of Africa,
0:22:31 > 0:22:32got a bit of Italy.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34It might be a bit strange and out there,
0:22:34 > 0:22:36but someone's got to start somewhere.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55I'll be in the bar.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00Like La Banditaccia, many farms in the region have agriturismo status.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03They offer accommodation and home-cooked food
0:23:03 > 0:23:04to paying customers.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09With their first set of B&B guests booked to stay next week,
0:23:09 > 0:23:14Tracy, Chi and Gavin are visiting the nearest hotel for inspiration.
0:23:14 > 0:23:15Wow.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Castel Porrona was built in the 12th century...
0:23:24 > 0:23:25That's pretty special, isn't it?
0:23:25 > 0:23:29..and originally belonged to Sienese nobility.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33'The time is right for me to do something for myself.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37'I would be disappointed if the only thing I'd ever been was a mum.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40'I want to get the bed-and-breakfast up and running.'
0:23:40 > 0:23:44My only regret would be that I didn't try.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48I want to know, this is where I start, but in ten years' time,
0:23:48 > 0:23:49this is where I'm going to be at.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51I have a feeling it might be more than ten years.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- Might be more than ten years. - You never know.
0:23:53 > 0:23:54All right, so we go this way.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56General manager Signor Mazzoni...
0:23:58 > 0:24:01..shows them a deluxe double room.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03400? It's a lot, isn't it?
0:24:03 > 0:24:05- You think it's a lot?- Yeah.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09We're not trying to compete in any way with even the cheapest room
0:24:09 > 0:24:11in this hotel. We are a million miles away from that.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Would we do sort of a British room or
0:24:14 > 0:24:17a Chinese room or an African room,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- or would we keep it all Tuscan Italian?- Italian.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- I would suggest you, this way.- Keep it Tuscan Italian?- Tuscan Italian.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- Tuscan, but different style of Tuscan.- The old with the new.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Different style of bed, different size of bed - twin bed, double bed.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33- That makes sense.- Oh, it's lovely.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35You've done such a great job. I love it.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36- MAZZONI:- Grazie.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Next, they head to the hotel's kitchen to find out what
0:24:39 > 0:24:41home-cooked fare they offer.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45- Oh, this is beautiful. - Wow. Whoa, I love it.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47- Just like ours.- Look.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49It is something very simple.
0:24:49 > 0:24:55The hotel uses only the finest locally sourced ingredients
0:24:55 > 0:24:59to create dishes that have been perfected by generations of Tuscans.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Nobody is Italian amongst us.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Would we need to have an Italian chef?
0:25:04 > 0:25:06- Just check the experience of the person.- Right.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11He has to know how to cook Tuscany food. That's it.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14We will not have the budget to have a chef.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- No, we can learn how to do it. - I also don't think that would work.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20You can't expect to provide a Tuscan experience
0:25:20 > 0:25:24with an English housewife having a few cooking lessons.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Despite their concerns about a chef for their own restaurant,
0:25:27 > 0:25:32Castel Porrona has certainly made an impression on Tracy.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- Thank you so much.- Grazie. - And if you can do...
0:25:35 > 0:25:37No, I'm sorry, but here we do differently.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41- Oh! I love this.- I'm so sorry, but we do better.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Just with the ladies.
0:25:43 > 0:25:44I'm sorry.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46- It's OK.- See you soon. Bye-bye.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Oh, that man is bloody lovely.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51So kind.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57'I mean, this feels to me like what I expected Tuscany to be like,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00'and I somehow want to be able to take that'
0:26:00 > 0:26:04and infuse it into our B&B project.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25This undiscovered pocket of Tuscany is situated in the province
0:26:25 > 0:26:29of Grosseto, 50 miles from the ancient city of Siena.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37It is dominated by Monte Amiata, an extinct volcano
0:26:37 > 0:26:41whose fertile lands have been cultivated for centuries.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47It is in the foothills of this majestic mountain that the
0:26:47 > 0:26:50group are hoping to create their own rural idyll
0:26:50 > 0:26:54by living and working on a typical Tuscan farm.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58- SOBS:- I just want to go home. I do, I just...
0:26:58 > 0:27:00I don't know if I can do this any more.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03But Gill is missing the life she left behind in the UK.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Are you all right? What's the matter?
0:27:06 > 0:27:08I don't know, I just had a bit of a meltdown.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11Why, what's up?
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Oh, I don't know, just I really thought I could handle it,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16but I don't know if I can.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17- Yes, you can.- God.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20I honestly thought I was stronger than this.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23- I thought this was the answer for me, but it's not.- Mm-hm.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- I'm actually homesick. I miss everyone.- Mm-hm.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35- I really do. I really want to go home, to be honest.- No. No.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Cos if you go home, what will happen when you get home?
0:27:38 > 0:27:42- I'll have failed.- Mm-hm. - And how will that make you feel?
0:27:42 > 0:27:43- Like crap.- Exactly.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49We are ten strangers, everybody was going to come here
0:27:49 > 0:27:51with their own baggage
0:27:51 > 0:27:54and people are dealing with things in different ways.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08- Are you all right?- Mm-hm.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19In an attempt to revive Gill's spirits, Karen and Lesley
0:28:19 > 0:28:21take her to the historic city of Siena,
0:28:21 > 0:28:2545 miles north of La Banditaccia.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27- When you look up, there are little balconies and things.- I know.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29- It's so pretty. - It is really pretty.
0:28:29 > 0:28:30And the bell towers.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32- Hey, down here.- Oh, my God.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- Oh, my God.- Shall we go down? Yeah, let's go down.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37Let's go see.
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Mind your step.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41They head for the cathedral,
0:28:41 > 0:28:45a masterpiece in Romanesque Gothic architecture,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48which lies in the Piazza del Duomo.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52I am surprised that I am a bit more homesick than I thought.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I think someone said to me, "Are you going to miss anything?"
0:28:55 > 0:28:57I was like, "No, no."
0:28:57 > 0:29:01When I got to the airport, I looked out the window and I thought,
0:29:01 > 0:29:03- "Oh, my God."- "What have I done?"
0:29:03 > 0:29:05"What have I done?" I know.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07It's when the reality kicks in,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11and the fact is you are away from home and you miss your family.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13It is a bit overwhelming sometimes.
0:29:13 > 0:29:14Yeah, this time...
0:29:15 > 0:29:19..this time last year, Graham and I were going, weren't we? So...
0:29:27 > 0:29:29My partner, Graham, died of cancer
0:29:29 > 0:29:31in March of this year,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34and that really did hit me.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38We went down the chemotherapy route
0:29:38 > 0:29:43and by January we knew it wasn't going to work.
0:29:43 > 0:29:44So...
0:29:45 > 0:29:49It's almost like you can prepare for it, but you can't.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52You know it's going to happen, but you can't prepare for that.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Graham and I had made plans to move abroad.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00We just thought we'd spend the rest of our lives together.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06Graham would often say, "Will you still go?"
0:30:06 > 0:30:09And I said, "I don't know if I can without you."
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Everything that we'd dreamed about,
0:30:11 > 0:30:16everything that we thought about is just gone. Poof!
0:30:18 > 0:30:21So, coming to Italy feels like starting a new life,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24which is absolutely what I need.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26There's got to be something more.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29There is something more.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41It's been four days since the group moved in together.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45I didn't think how difficult it would be to end up with people
0:30:45 > 0:30:49that I don't know. Trying to muck in and get along with them all,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51I think that's the bit that's actually been
0:30:51 > 0:30:53the most daunting of the whole process.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55Learning to live with each other
0:30:55 > 0:30:58has presented some unexpected challenges.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Unfortunately, my room is right below the kitchen.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04And I understand that people want to stay up sometimes
0:31:04 > 0:31:05and chat and drink,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08but seriously, the noise is incredible.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11The way the floor is set-up, it's about that thick.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Please, please find somewhere else to congregate
0:31:14 > 0:31:15if you are staying up late.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18I understand that, but where are the other places?
0:31:18 > 0:31:20I think we might need to decide what that is.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22- I don't care where they are, frankly.- But...
0:31:22 > 0:31:24Just make sure it's somewhere else!
0:31:24 > 0:31:27No, Gavin, that's true, but the first two nights we were here,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29you all kept me up.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33We are sharing. Right? Please, keep the noise down. That's all. OK?
0:31:33 > 0:31:36If you want to stay up late, it's cool, but find somewhere outside.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Anywhere. But don't be disrespectful to other people.
0:31:38 > 0:31:39Yeah, but...
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Before we descend into getting upset with one another, you know,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45- we are all respecting one another reasonably well.- Yeah.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47I agree with that, and I think that's my point,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49is that sort of the thing of just throwing out
0:31:49 > 0:31:51"Just try and be respectful,"
0:31:51 > 0:31:53already to me indicates that people
0:31:53 > 0:31:55are intentionally trying to be disrespectful,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58and the truth of the matter is the whole house echoes.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04Gavin's comment and the issue with Chi is symptomatic of
0:32:04 > 0:32:06ten people who are strong-minded sharing a house.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08Sometimes there are going to be frustrations, you know.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Our ability as a group to work together with those frustrations
0:32:12 > 0:32:15is going to be the making or the undoing of us.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19Let's just let it go.
0:32:19 > 0:32:24Because, actually, it could then develop into some massive row,
0:32:24 > 0:32:25and that clearly...
0:32:46 > 0:32:50The group don't just have to learn to live with each other,
0:32:50 > 0:32:53they also need to learn how to integrate with the locals.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59- Sei, sei, sei.- Ten. Ten.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01- Sei, sei, sei.- Oh, OK, six.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03'People are actually very welcoming,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05'and they will try and chat to you,'
0:33:05 > 0:33:07but that's one issue I feel
0:33:07 > 0:33:10really bad about cos I need to do something about my Italian.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13Bene? Bene? Good price?
0:33:13 > 0:33:15Bene? Quanto costa?
0:33:15 > 0:33:19So some of the group have invited a neighbouring olive farmer
0:33:19 > 0:33:21to help them learn Italian.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24- Bene, e te?- Oh.- Tutto bene, yes.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Moving from France 15 years ago,
0:33:27 > 0:33:32Romain followed his own dreams of a new life in Tuscany.
0:33:32 > 0:33:37I had a job in Paris before, like a boring corporate job.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41It was OK, it was well-paid,
0:33:41 > 0:33:43but it was not really fulfilling.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47For me, it was very important to find what is the meaning of life
0:33:47 > 0:33:49and to go in this direction.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52I personally chose to stay here because of the simplicity
0:33:52 > 0:33:54of the life.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Yeah, I was thinking, we should start maybe today
0:33:56 > 0:33:59with all the sentences you need to know
0:33:59 > 0:34:01for, like, meeting people.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04So you have the universal, fabulous "ciao".
0:34:04 > 0:34:05ALL: Ciao.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07- This is really good.- We know that.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11- We know that.- That's the only one we know.- It works night and day.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15'Learning Italian was the first thing for me to do.'
0:34:15 > 0:34:16You can't do anything otherwise.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18You can't buy anything,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21you can't enjoy a dinner at the bar,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23all the conversations.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25So, a major thing,
0:34:25 > 0:34:27learning the language.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38- Aio? Eo?- Io.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00Pronounce all the letters. Lavorare.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01That's its sounds.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24- Del Nigeria.- Del Nigeria.
0:35:28 > 0:35:29Grazie.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34Wow.
0:35:34 > 0:35:35A clap for Chi.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38She did well. She did well. She's easy.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Che cosa stai facendo qua?
0:35:48 > 0:35:50Che cosa stai facendo qua?
0:35:50 > 0:35:52"Che cosa" - what...thing? "Che cosa" - what thing?
0:35:52 > 0:35:54Che cosa...
0:35:54 > 0:35:55"Stai facendo" - are you doing?
0:35:55 > 0:35:56OK. Che cosa stay...
0:35:56 > 0:35:58- Stai.- Stai.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00You pronounce all the letters.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02Che cosa stai facendo?
0:36:02 > 0:36:03Stai facendo qua.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05- Qua. Qua.- Qua.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Grazie.
0:36:09 > 0:36:10SHE MUTTERS
0:36:10 > 0:36:11Prego. Prego.
0:36:11 > 0:36:12Prego.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14Oh, you're welcome. Yeah. Prego.
0:36:14 > 0:36:15Prego.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17HE SPEAKS ITALIAN
0:36:17 > 0:36:20By ear, the Italian accent is not that alien to me.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I recognise particular sounds
0:36:23 > 0:36:25from Nigerian languages,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27especially the Igbo language,
0:36:27 > 0:36:31which my father's family speak.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Yeah.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Whilst Chi ponders the similarities
0:36:38 > 0:36:40between Igbo and Italian,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Gavin awaits an important arrival.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48I'm just trying to get hold of my friend John.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51He's driving my car down with my dog.
0:36:51 > 0:36:52So, he's due to arrive
0:36:52 > 0:36:54at about seven o'clock.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56I'm just trying to get hold of him, make sure he's on...
0:36:56 > 0:36:58'I got Ted about four years ago.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00'We've been best friends ever since.'
0:37:00 > 0:37:03He's a companion, he just makes me smile.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07The story behind why I got Ted was...
0:37:07 > 0:37:10I'll be honest with you, I was a little bit lonely, I think.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12It's the thing of having some...
0:37:12 > 0:37:14body to come home to.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16I had Ted through my mum's illness
0:37:16 > 0:37:18and with her passing, and...
0:37:18 > 0:37:20to be honest, it might sound a bit weak, I don't know,
0:37:20 > 0:37:21I don't really care,
0:37:21 > 0:37:26but he made it a lot easier for me to get through it.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28- How we doing?- Yeah, tickety-boo, how are you?
0:37:28 > 0:37:32He knows immediately if I'm in a bad mood or I'm upset about something.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34He's straight up there beside me,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36head on the lap and, you know, that kind of interaction.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38You can't put a price on that.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40- INTERVIEWER:- How much did it cost you to bring Ted down?
0:37:40 > 0:37:421,500 plus.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Gavin's friend is driving Ted to Italy,
0:37:45 > 0:37:48which means Gavin will also be reunited
0:37:48 > 0:37:51with the second love of his life...
0:37:51 > 0:37:52My car.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54It's what they call a midlife crisis -
0:37:54 > 0:37:56which, currently, I am on my...
0:37:57 > 0:37:59..sixth midlife crisis.
0:37:59 > 0:38:00I think they're great.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03I think you should start having them when you're younger, to be honest.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06It gives you a good excuse to do some really crazy stuff.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09DOG BARKS
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Oh! Here's my little fella!
0:38:18 > 0:38:20Did you miss me?
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Did you miss me? Aww!
0:38:23 > 0:38:25Where's them kisses? Have you missed me?
0:38:25 > 0:38:26TED PANTS
0:38:26 > 0:38:29Oh, great he's weeing on me. Wonderful.
0:38:29 > 0:38:30I guess that's a yes then.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36Very manly-looking dog you've got there, boy.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38I am confident in my masculinity.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41- I don't need a big dog, do you know what I mean?- OK.
0:38:43 > 0:38:50However, not everyone is quite so excited that Ted has moved in.
0:38:50 > 0:38:51Ted, the super dog.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53A couple of things on Ted -
0:38:53 > 0:38:54great dog...
0:38:54 > 0:38:56Clearly a very successful dog,
0:38:56 > 0:38:59drives a nice car, nice lad...
0:38:59 > 0:39:02After he arrived, he was a little bit overexcited
0:39:02 > 0:39:04and pissed all over the room I was in.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08I don't know, call me sensitive, OCD maybe,
0:39:08 > 0:39:11but dog piss just isn't my thing.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21Morning, handsome.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23It's Saturday,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25and Rob is waiting for crucial news.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I feel a bit stressed out today,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31cos I just want everyone to get on board with this
0:39:31 > 0:39:34and it's a bit like, "It's all right, Rob's dealing with it."
0:39:34 > 0:39:36An expert from a local winery
0:39:36 > 0:39:37is coming to check the grapes
0:39:37 > 0:39:40to reveal if they are ripe for picking,
0:39:40 > 0:39:45and harvest manager Rob is keen to be as prepared as possible.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Worst-case scenario is we get told today
0:39:47 > 0:39:49that we've got to start on Monday.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51It's just the organisation
0:39:51 > 0:39:52of doing that on my tod.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55But, hey, that's the role I took on and I'll get it done.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59I've always been passionate about wine.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01I find it fascinating,
0:40:01 > 0:40:03so I quit my corporate job and I went to work in a wine shop.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06All my friends say to me they've never seen me so happy
0:40:06 > 0:40:10as when I was earning minimum wage and working in a wine shop.
0:40:10 > 0:40:11- Hi, good morning.- Good morning.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Buongiorno. I'm Dr Seitini,
0:40:13 > 0:40:14nice to meet you.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Rob isn't the only one anxious
0:40:16 > 0:40:18to know when to start picking.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21With vines ripening across the valley,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Dr Seitini is in great demand.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26OK, so, let's go and check it.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30There are several steps to pinpointing the perfect moment
0:40:30 > 0:40:33when the grapes should be harvested.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37This is a perfect grape of Sangiovese. Very nice.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Open the berry...
0:40:39 > 0:40:42and you have to see how...
0:40:42 > 0:40:46the seeds can be separated from the pulp.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49If you can easily separate it, we are ripened,
0:40:49 > 0:40:50we are perfectly matured.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53- In this case, as you can see, it's not perfect.- Yeah.
0:40:53 > 0:40:59Next thing, the skins - that's the most important part of the process.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01You must see if it gives colour...
0:41:01 > 0:41:04- You mean, the colour goes to the fingers?- Yeah.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Yeah.- Right.- It doesn't give colour yet, you see?
0:41:07 > 0:41:09- Let's go on and let's... - Come on, pal.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12..and you can tell me what you feel while we walk.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15Unbeknownst to the group,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18not all the grapes are Sangiovese.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22So, this is another variety and this is Merlot.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25There are also 20 rows of Merlot
0:41:25 > 0:41:29which Dr Seitini thinks might be ripening at a faster rate.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Try the berries.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Finally.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34The berries are good.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36More colour, almost ripened,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38but we have a problem.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41We have a problem.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44The wild boar are eating a lot.
0:41:44 > 0:41:45Yes.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48So, I suggest you to make a sample right now
0:41:48 > 0:41:50and we have to make an analysis
0:41:50 > 0:41:51in order to understand
0:41:51 > 0:41:54if we can harvest as soon as possible.
0:41:54 > 0:41:55To save as many grapes...?
0:41:55 > 0:41:57To save as many grapes. Yeah.
0:42:01 > 0:42:02It's not great.
0:42:02 > 0:42:03If we analyse these grapes
0:42:03 > 0:42:05and they say, "Go, we've got to do it right away,"
0:42:05 > 0:42:07we just have to do the best we can
0:42:07 > 0:42:09and pick as many grapes as possible.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Predicting when is the best time to harvest grapes
0:42:14 > 0:42:18is not an exact science.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20But science certainly plays a part.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24By extracting the juice from the grapes,
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Dr Seitini can measure the acidity
0:42:27 > 0:42:29and sugar levels which indicate
0:42:29 > 0:42:30the strength of alcohol.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37OK. We have a high alcohol content.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39I suggest you to harvest.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42- Go for it straightaway? - Yeah, as soon as possible.
0:42:42 > 0:42:43Prepare everything tomorrow
0:42:43 > 0:42:46and then to harvest the day after.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49- Grazie.- Thank you. It was a pleasure.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51- Thank you very much for your time today.- Grazie.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53- Bye-bye.- Ciao.- Ciao.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59If you harvest for the first time, it's not easy.
0:42:59 > 0:43:04It will be harder than they realise today for sure
0:43:04 > 0:43:06because, when you harvest,
0:43:06 > 0:43:08there is always something that happens.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12Every vintage, every harvesting time has a surprise.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18Despite the fact that it's only the Merlot grapes
0:43:18 > 0:43:20that are ready to harvest,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Rob still has some concerns.
0:43:22 > 0:43:26I'm not worried about getting the harvest in.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28I'm worried about nine other people
0:43:28 > 0:43:30pulling their weight and making it happen.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33So, tomorrow morning, we're going to clean all the crates,
0:43:33 > 0:43:35and Monday morning, we start picking.
0:43:35 > 0:43:36Ahh!
0:43:36 > 0:43:37That's what worries me,
0:43:37 > 0:43:41making sure they all, like, put as much into it as I will.
0:43:41 > 0:43:44The grape harvest isn't the only venture
0:43:44 > 0:43:47about to start at La Banditaccia.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50The reason I was really interested in coming here
0:43:50 > 0:43:53was because I thought I would like to run a B&B
0:43:53 > 0:43:54with a small, little...
0:43:54 > 0:43:55Not necessarily a restaurant
0:43:55 > 0:43:58but just somewhere where you can offer dinner to your B&B guests.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00So, I just wanted to see how that could work.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02Yeah, it's not going to take much, is it?
0:44:02 > 0:44:04The group's first B&B guests
0:44:04 > 0:44:08are booked to stay at the farm in four days' time.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10With limited space in the main house,
0:44:10 > 0:44:12they've decided to use the annexe
0:44:12 > 0:44:14for their guests' accommodation.
0:44:14 > 0:44:18It's looking good already, isn't it, eh? Cheers.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21- You're going to walk in to the ladder...- Yup.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23- When you get to the ladder, stop.- Stop.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25By that time hopefully, I'll be level with the door.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27- Yup.- OK?
0:44:27 > 0:44:29- Insects.- Insects.- Mm-hmm.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32- And then I will lift the door up... - OK.- ..you come towards me,
0:44:32 > 0:44:34so the door is now horizontal,
0:44:34 > 0:44:36and then lower it slowly.
0:44:36 > 0:44:37THEY LAUGH
0:44:37 > 0:44:40Oops, something's falling. My glasses, OK.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43Yeah, no, I'm good.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45OK.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47- Oh!- Hold it.
0:44:47 > 0:44:48Hold up, I'm holding.
0:44:48 > 0:44:50- Yeah.- Ready?
0:44:50 > 0:44:52- Yup!- Ha!
0:44:52 > 0:44:54There we go. Simple when you know how.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Oh, fantastic. Oh!
0:44:56 > 0:44:58Oh!
0:44:58 > 0:45:01Does it feel worse or better than it was before?
0:45:01 > 0:45:03It feels worse, actually.
0:45:04 > 0:45:06The early Merlot harvest
0:45:06 > 0:45:09and the imminent arrival of the B&B guests
0:45:09 > 0:45:12have added extra pressure to the group.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14Over dinner that evening,
0:45:14 > 0:45:18they discuss which venture should take priority.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20We're talking about the annexe at the moment,
0:45:20 > 0:45:23whether we can put the guests in the room or not,
0:45:23 > 0:45:24and it's not going to be finished.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26Oh, gosh, why are you being so negative?
0:45:26 > 0:45:28We're the ones that did the work.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30Once it's finished, it will be beautiful, but at this moment,
0:45:30 > 0:45:33I think we're going to put far too much pressure on ourselves.
0:45:33 > 0:45:34We have the harvest on Monday...
0:45:34 > 0:45:36We've got people coming to stay here on Wednesday
0:45:36 > 0:45:38and the girls are painting the annexe.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40They've been painting it all day,
0:45:40 > 0:45:42we've got to do the harvest tomorrow morning,
0:45:42 > 0:45:45or start it tomorrow morning. Then we're going out tomorrow afternoon.
0:45:45 > 0:45:46Then Monday, we're harvesting.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Monday afternoon, they'll have to finish.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51These guests are checking in on Wednesday...
0:45:51 > 0:45:54and it's all that kind of stuff, you're just like, "Oh, man."
0:45:54 > 0:45:56We have to go up to the vineyard tomorrow morning.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58We've got X amount of boxes
0:45:58 > 0:46:00that need washing before we put the grapes in.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04Why didn't you then drop everything today and come and help us, then?
0:46:04 > 0:46:07Rather than do sweet FA,
0:46:07 > 0:46:09we could have all gone in and done it...
0:46:09 > 0:46:12We haven't been doing sweet FA, love, I was up in the fields.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14- I've been up since five o'clock, what time did you get up?- Seven.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16Right, let's get realistic.
0:46:16 > 0:46:17Come on, that's ridiculous. Sorry.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20'The harvest is such a huge responsibility
0:46:20 > 0:46:21'and we don't want to mess it up,'
0:46:21 > 0:46:24but I think the problem is that everybody, in some way,
0:46:24 > 0:46:25is self-centred.
0:46:25 > 0:46:27She actually said, "What have you been doing all day?"
0:46:27 > 0:46:29And it's a very hurtful thing.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31You know, I was up at five o'clock this morning. I haven't stopped.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33I'm back at her,
0:46:33 > 0:46:34which I don't feel good about it.
0:46:34 > 0:46:36I can be a bit short-tempered, I know I can.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38You know, I can be a bit grumpy.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40I know that.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42But it doesn't make you feel good when you bite.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50ROOSTER CROWS
0:46:52 > 0:46:55It's the day before the Merlot harvest...
0:46:55 > 0:46:58I'll just grab some boxes. Give me two seconds.
0:46:58 > 0:46:59..so Rob, Gavin and Andy
0:46:59 > 0:47:03prepare the crates they need to collect the grapes.
0:47:03 > 0:47:04Even this is making me emotional.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07HE LAUGHS AND SNIFFLES
0:47:07 > 0:47:08Oh!
0:47:08 > 0:47:11There's things you take for granted, like Mother's Day and Father's Day.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13Mother's, Father's Day.
0:47:13 > 0:47:15It affects me if I'm walking down the street
0:47:15 > 0:47:16and I see somebody with their parents.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18It's like, "They've got the parents and I haven't," you know?
0:47:18 > 0:47:21- Yeah, yeah.- I know, it's weird.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23It'll be last January my mum passed
0:47:23 > 0:47:25and I'll be driving down the road and, all of a sudden,
0:47:25 > 0:47:28it just hits you with the a hammer that, yeah, she's not here any more.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30- Yeah.- Ahh! And you start thinking about,
0:47:30 > 0:47:32"Oh, what was the last thing I said to them?
0:47:32 > 0:47:34"Was I mean? Was I rude?"
0:47:34 > 0:47:35Mate, especially with my dad,
0:47:35 > 0:47:37cos my dad was just... like that and he was gone.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39With Mum I said to my sister, like,
0:47:39 > 0:47:41"Just sit with Mum and ask her loads of questions.
0:47:41 > 0:47:42She was like, "What kind of questions?"
0:47:42 > 0:47:45I was like, "Ask her favourite colour, her favourite flower."
0:47:45 > 0:47:48We've got it all written down. We always wear red on her birthday.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51It was her favourite colour, so we always wear red.
0:47:51 > 0:47:52HE SNIFFS
0:47:54 > 0:47:56I'd say losing Mum was pretty life-changing.
0:47:56 > 0:47:58I was 30 years old.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01I still, to this day, say it's the worst year of my life.
0:48:01 > 0:48:02We watched her die,
0:48:02 > 0:48:04as horrific as that sounds.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06It's pretty hard to deal with.
0:48:06 > 0:48:09It's affected me massively and it is...
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Part of the decision to leave the UK is that.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17It just shows you how brief life is
0:48:17 > 0:48:21and how important it is to kind of make the most of it.
0:48:21 > 0:48:24- Cos you always think you've got more time.- Yeah.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26And you haven't.
0:48:38 > 0:48:42Summer in Tuscany is a time when communities come together
0:48:42 > 0:48:46to host festivals that celebrate the fruits of the land.
0:48:46 > 0:48:47It's so nice, isn't it?
0:48:47 > 0:48:49- Gorgeous.- You could have it with a glass of wine.- I know.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53La Sagra della Bruschetta, in the village of Montegiovi,
0:48:53 > 0:48:55is the group's first opportunity
0:48:55 > 0:48:58to mix with the locals and meet their fellow farmers.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17SHE SPEAKS ITALIAN
0:49:20 > 0:49:22Welcome to Montegiovi. Nice to meet you.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24- Pleased to meet you.- Buonasera.
0:49:24 > 0:49:26You see, there is a problem.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29The small mosquito that attack
0:49:29 > 0:49:33the olives and put some eggs in the olives.
0:49:33 > 0:49:34The risk is that,
0:49:34 > 0:49:36if these eggs are growing,
0:49:36 > 0:49:39- the olives will be completely...- Destroyed.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42..corrupted and destroyed, very fast.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44So you should harvest early?
0:49:44 > 0:49:45Yeah.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49It's kind of freaked us out a little bit, we went into panic mode,
0:49:49 > 0:49:51because he said he's already harvested his olives.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53So, we're panicking about the grapes and he's like,
0:49:53 > 0:49:55"You have to do your olives as well,"
0:49:55 > 0:49:56and we're going, "Oh, God!"
0:49:56 > 0:49:58- Come on then, girlies.- All right.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02Will you look after my bag? Grazie.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05Whilst Rob worries about the olive harvest,
0:50:05 > 0:50:10the women get stuck into a traditional tug-of-war.
0:50:10 > 0:50:14- You have to pull it...- From there. - ..from over there.- OK.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17- Uno, due... - HE WHISTLES
0:50:32 > 0:50:36CHEERING
0:50:36 > 0:50:38- Oh, my heart.- We done well.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41I don't know if I can speak.
0:50:41 > 0:50:45I haven't done tug-of-war since I was at school. It's just so funny.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08- Still up?- Yeah, yeah.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15It's the morning of the grape harvest.
0:51:17 > 0:51:18Of the 13 acres,
0:51:18 > 0:51:21just 20 rows of grapes are Merlot,
0:51:21 > 0:51:23which provides the group with the chance
0:51:23 > 0:51:25to test their harvesting abilities
0:51:25 > 0:51:28before the main event.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30I'm kind of hoping we can all kind of work together
0:51:30 > 0:51:33and we can all move in the same direction.
0:51:33 > 0:51:35It's trying to make sure that
0:51:35 > 0:51:37no-one feels ostracised and everyone can work together.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40It's only nine o'clock in the morning and you're sweating already.
0:51:40 > 0:51:42'We all have the same final goal, right?'
0:51:42 > 0:51:43We're all here to start over,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46to start fresh and do something for ourselves.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49As long as we work towards that, you know,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51there's nothing to stop us kind of getting there, really.
0:51:51 > 0:51:52We work together,
0:51:52 > 0:51:55we all aim for that final goal. It's...
0:51:55 > 0:51:57It should be easy.
0:52:02 > 0:52:03Anything you can get your hands on,
0:52:03 > 0:52:05get your hands on it, cut it.
0:52:05 > 0:52:07Don't put any crap in, though.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10Can you show us what "crap" is, please, that we don't take?
0:52:10 > 0:52:12You don't want to be picking that.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15The majority are dried, so just bin it.
0:52:15 > 0:52:16Whereas, if it's the other way around,
0:52:16 > 0:52:19if the majority are OK and you have a couple of dried ones,
0:52:19 > 0:52:22cut it, pick the dry ones off and then put them in your basket. Yeah?
0:52:22 > 0:52:23OK.
0:52:23 > 0:52:24There's not a lot.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27Looking at these grapes, like, there's nothing to pick.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29The boar have eaten most of it.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31It won't take long.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33As harvest manager,
0:52:33 > 0:52:35Rob has devised a system
0:52:35 > 0:52:37for the group to work in pairs.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39Jill and Karen, if you take this row.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41- So, you go up that side...- And down?
0:52:41 > 0:52:42- ..and down this side.- OK.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45I reckon it'll become a bit of a competition as well.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47They'll be like, "I picked more grapes than you." It's great.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51You love that. You love that little bit of motivation within a team.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53You stay there.
0:52:53 > 0:52:55Well away from the tractor.
0:52:55 > 0:52:56It's a bit like the National
0:52:56 > 0:52:58and all the horses are all jittering,
0:52:58 > 0:53:00and then the gates go and they're off.
0:53:00 > 0:53:02You be a good boy.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10Two, three. So, you want one in the middle, yeah.
0:53:10 > 0:53:11That's it.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18It's really nice, actually.
0:53:18 > 0:53:19Good to be picking some grapes,
0:53:19 > 0:53:21dealing with the harvest.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24I think it's... Yeah, working nicely.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26It's a bit hunt the bunch.
0:53:38 > 0:53:39It's really hard, this,
0:53:39 > 0:53:41because they're all a bit knackered, aren't they?
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Oh, God.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46I know. These naughty pigs, they've done a good job right here,
0:53:46 > 0:53:47- haven't they?- Yeah.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57- Actually, have we done this one already?- No.
0:53:57 > 0:53:58We can't have done.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05I mean, look at that pathetic little thing. Whoops.
0:54:05 > 0:54:06People don't listen, do they?
0:54:06 > 0:54:09I said this morning, "Don't cut the other side of the vine."
0:54:09 > 0:54:11What's Chi doing? Cutting the other side as Tracy.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13Chi! Chi!
0:54:13 > 0:54:16Can you work with Tracy on going down that side,
0:54:16 > 0:54:17like we discussed originally, please?
0:54:17 > 0:54:20It's a bit of a breakdown in communication, that's all.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22Can I not come up the other side?
0:54:22 > 0:54:24No, no, no, that's been done.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26- No, it hasn't. - Robert's gone down that side.
0:54:26 > 0:54:29He hasn't. There's loads of grapes. I've just been looking.
0:54:29 > 0:54:30I was going to pick them all.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32So, what are you...?
0:54:32 > 0:54:33Robert has not passed me.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35Can I flip to the other side with and come up?
0:54:35 > 0:54:37- Flip to the other side. So, you boys...- Come back up that one?
0:54:37 > 0:54:38Come back up that one, yeah.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40But what happens, Rob,
0:54:40 > 0:54:42when they've done that and come up there, where do they go then?
0:54:42 > 0:54:43We go over to that one.
0:54:43 > 0:54:45They use their common sense and look down and see
0:54:45 > 0:54:48- where people are working.- We've done that as well, but somehow...
0:54:48 > 0:54:51You common sense isn't working!
0:54:51 > 0:54:54It's just really, really hard work.
0:54:54 > 0:54:55- OK?- OK.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57There's certain kinds of people who,
0:54:57 > 0:55:00"I'll sit down on a crate, someone might bring me some Pimm's!"
0:55:00 > 0:55:01That's frustrating.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03After three hours of picking,
0:55:03 > 0:55:06Rob calls the group together for a break.
0:55:06 > 0:55:08How did everybody find that?
0:55:08 > 0:55:09Really hard.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11Mixed. Very mixed.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Some of the grapes were easy because,
0:55:13 > 0:55:16if they're in a bunch, you can just snip them, put them in the thing.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Some of them were in such a mess...
0:55:18 > 0:55:20We're past halfway,
0:55:20 > 0:55:22so if anybody wants to skedaddle, they can.
0:55:22 > 0:55:24If you've got other jobs you want to go and do.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26There's only about five rows left.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29Whilst the rest of the group head back to the farm...
0:55:29 > 0:55:31Rob and Altaf load the crates.
0:55:45 > 0:55:46It's almost like we've missed that entire row.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49How poorly these have been picked is a joke.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52The issue is that there are still grapes on the vines
0:55:52 > 0:55:55that are good grapes, that could be harvested.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58In an attempt to bolster their meagre pickings,
0:55:58 > 0:56:03they harvest all the vines again.
0:56:03 > 0:56:05It's just disheartening because we're all here
0:56:05 > 0:56:07working towards a common goal,
0:56:07 > 0:56:10we know this is the biggest part of this farm,
0:56:10 > 0:56:12is the vineyard.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14Look at that, that took us four hours,
0:56:14 > 0:56:15and we've got that to do.
0:56:17 > 0:56:19It's going to take us four weeks.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27We've got to congratulate ourselves, we've done the harvest,
0:56:27 > 0:56:29albeit it causes a bit of frustration
0:56:29 > 0:56:31when you think you're finished and you've been told,
0:56:31 > 0:56:33"No, you've got to go back and do the whole lot,"
0:56:33 > 0:56:36- and we've spent another three or four hours doing it again.- Yeah.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38It's a learning thing and we've learned from it,
0:56:38 > 0:56:42- so we just move on.- Move forward. That's it. Done. Good.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49The hardest part has been people,
0:56:49 > 0:56:51because there's such a...
0:56:51 > 0:56:53And we do bat this phrase around,
0:56:53 > 0:56:55but it is a bit of a motley crew.
0:56:55 > 0:56:56It's like The Raggy Dolls -
0:56:56 > 0:56:58hey, everyone's a broken toy.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00We all are.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05My biggest achievement this week...
0:57:05 > 0:57:07Can I think about it? I can't even think.
0:57:07 > 0:57:08You did say something.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11I was going to say not punching somebody in the teeth,
0:57:11 > 0:57:12but I better not say that.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19I knew it wasn't going to be easy...
0:57:19 > 0:57:21but I didn't think it would be this hard.
0:57:23 > 0:57:26The dream is living up to reality.
0:57:26 > 0:57:28I'm really enjoying this adventure.
0:57:29 > 0:57:32I'm loving every minute of it.
0:57:32 > 0:57:33Best time of my life.
0:57:34 > 0:57:36I don't want it to stop.
0:57:52 > 0:57:54I can't believe this is happening.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57The imminent arrival of the first B&B guests
0:57:57 > 0:57:59creates panic at La Banditaccia.
0:57:59 > 0:58:01Shit the bed. The guests are here
0:58:01 > 0:58:03and we've got stuff scattered all over the table.
0:58:03 > 0:58:05And it's a race against time
0:58:05 > 0:58:07to bring in the farm's largest crop.
0:58:07 > 0:58:10Can you just work your way along to the very end and then head that way?
0:58:10 > 0:58:13If the storm hits and we haven't finished the harvest,
0:58:13 > 0:58:14the wine's knackered.