Episode 2 People Like Us

Just north of the city centre is a little known Manchester suburb called Harpurhey.

This programme contains strong language.

They say the area's just full of rough families.

I don't think it's such a bad place.

Ten years ago, a report called it the most deprived area in England.

-It's a simple question I asked.

-Yeah, I'm trying to answer it.

Things have got a bit better but life round here is still no bed of roses.

There's a local saying, "They'd steal the shit out of your arse."

Not cos they want it, just so you haven't got it.

Half the people have no qualifications.

You!

And antisocial behaviour is rife.

-Are you the neighbour from hell?

-Probably, yeah.

People round here might not be the poshest but they're not lacking in spirit.

We call ourselves the dysfunctionals.

They're just trying to get on with life. Be themselves.

I ain't driving the van like this.

And follow their dreams.

I'm a different person when I'm acting.

'Tis true that a good play needs no epilogue. WHISTLES

For one long summer, the young people of Harpurhey let us into their secret world.

# I have a penis! I shake it in the morning #

-Sharing the good times.

-Megan Fox eat your heart out.

-And the bad.

-Hello! Go and find another street to go and terrorise.

This is how it really feels growing up the hard way.

You might think you know people like us

but you don't know nothing yet!

This week, we meet Amber. Her parents run the launderette

but she's determined to leave home to go to drama school.

Bid me farewell.

SHE WHISTLES

We meet Dale, a budding DJ and entrepreneur

happily living with his mum.

Just a quick update to let all listeners know

me nana is on the way to bingo, so keep your fingers crossed.

But if he makes it big, will he stay or go?

-Come to nana now.

-And new dad Ryan who's hoping rap could be

a ticket to a better life away from his estate.

# If your mum went on her back, the weight of them tits will defo make her lungs collapse. #

And finally, single mum Nicola,

who's considering leaving for a quieter life away from her family.

Why would I cry over you? I should've moved away.

-That's OK. Bye-bye.

-That's what I should've done.

On the high street out of Harpurhey is the Wishy Washy launderette,

run by Amber's family, the Wakefields.

11-year-old sister Maddy, stepdad Paul and mum Karen.

Do you know what? You get some really weird people in the launderette.

The stuff people have done. They've come in, stripped off fully naked,

put the clothes they're wearing in the washing machine, dried them, put them back on and gone.

I never ever met so many weirdoes until we got this place.

Honestly, you would not believe there's so much stuff can happen on Moston Lane.

And here's a lady now who's the culprit of the day.

-Her?

-Yeah.

She's doing her washing and decides...

Watch this, find out for yourselves

I thought at first she was bending over, looking out of the door.

But then I realised she had me bin, me bin underneath her.

Weeing in our bin, honestly.

Third person we've caught weeing in the shop.

Let's go to Wishy Washy, do me washing and have a pee.

I don't know where she got tissue paper but she wipes herself.

-Look. She wipes her bum, there.

-A number two, she took a shit?

Huh! That's shocked me even more, you shouldn't have said that.

-You said it was heavy, didn't you?

-It was heavy.

Then has the cheek to wipe her hands. I could write a book about this shop.

After many years hanging out at the launderette,

Amber's starting to realise that to fulfil her dreams she may have to leave Wishy Washy behind.

I do not want this business, it's so boring.

I want bigger things than that.

To own a little shop on Moston Lane, it's not me.

# Ooh ooh-ooh ooh!

# Rock my world into the sunlight

# Make this dream the best I've ever known... #

A couple of miles south of the launderette,

19-year-old Nicola is at her mum Kathleen's house.

Do what you want, I'm not arsed!

Nicola's a single parent to one-year-old Crystal.

Tonight, her mum is supposed to be babysitting.

You sent a book to my house, right?

We can't read or write, we don't know where to send it to, yeah.

It's going in the bin, do you what you want.

Me mum's got a personality where she changes.

She's not a very nice person to get along with, no.

-Nicola!

-What?

-You left a parcel behind.

-Get her ready for bed and give her food.

-She don't go to bed at this time.

Make sure she's got a clean nappy and put her in bed.

Why should you get out early and leave the child to us? We got things to do.

-Have you now?

-Yeah, we do.

-And what's that?

Not sitting here all night babysitting.

"I'm not babysitting."

Get her ready, get her jammies on, get her in bed,

settle her down and I'll babysit.

-That's too much.

-What do you mean too much?

-That's called me babysitting until I go out.

-You should wear condoms then.

She's a big responsibility, the next time you'll wear a condom.

I didn't mean to get pregnant one bit.

I done three years in college before I got pregnant.

And then had the baby.

And then life just went crashing down.

They always try and put me in the mood before I go out and it's gone.

What you crying for? Cos you can't get your own way?

Why would I cry over you? I should've moved away.

-OK, then, bye-bye.

-That's what I should've done.

You pull my life down, that's what you do.

-We put your life down? You put your own life down.

-You fucking do.

When I found out I was pregnant,

me mum was arguing like all the time, like we always do.

I was like, "I'll get rid of it."

And me mum said, "If you have an abortion, I'll disown you."

-She gets all angry, Nicola.

-Cos I've got people taking the piss.

We said we'll babysit for you, simple as, OK, right?

She doesn't want to be babysit by you.

If it be true that a good wine needs no bush,

'tis true that a good play...

17-year-old Amber plans to leave Manchester this summer

and is going for drama school auditions in London.

-Say it louder.

-I can't do it louder.

-Why not?

-Cos I'm not.

-Just a bit louder.

-I'm not doing it louder.

-Stop pulling your fingers up.

-Me tights are falling down.

Pull them up before you do it. Right, go on.

She wants make me to go loud in this place.

You're not doing bad. You got good projection.

-Just do it.

-You're being stupid now.

-I'm not being stupid. Just do it.

I am not furnished as a beggar, therefore to beg will not become me,

my way is to conjure you, and I'll begin with the women.

It's like I'm not good at anything else.

I can be like a different person when I'm acting.

I kind of like the bossy more evil, I don't know,

evil stepmother role sort of thing.

Cos that's the kind of person I am.

..a good epilogue.

I've always had visions, I can see myself, I don't know why,

round a table as if we're at, like, the Oscars getting an award.

It's something that's always been in me head, as if it's going to happen.

Or maybe it happened in a past life. I don't know. But I can see it.

I've always thought that from being a child.

Will I, make curtsey, bid me farewell.

SHE WHISTLES

That was a bit... She's good, wasn't she?

Wow! There's not a lot of people, especially around Moston,

you name one person. I bet you can't find anybody who does Shakespeare.

-Going to be big one day.

-Yeah.

-Think it in your head.

-It's in.

-19-year-old Dale dreams of being famous.

He's currently unemployed but has tried everything from TV to DJing.

And, when he's out with his mates, he loves to be centre of attention.

We'll start with how many people we've slept with, right? How many?

-Eight.

-Eight.

-23.

-23. And 12.

I'm a good boy, I'll say six.

-He gets a lot of attention with the girls.

-Yeah, I like to dance around.

-What's that?

-Dancing around.

I've got friends who have done stupid things.

I've got friends who've gone to prison.

I think, "I don't want to do that." What's the point? I want to get something in life.

I'm gonna be rich. I'll do anything to be rich. Not anything. I wouldn't kiss him or anything like that.

I absolutely love it round here. I've got family around me, friends around me.

That's everything I need.

# Da-da da-da-da da-da da-da da-da-da da-da da-da-da da-da. #

If I could live anywhere in the world it would be Harpurhey.

Ugh!

A lot of people make the money and then go but I'm staying at home.

Just a quick update to let all listeners know

me nana is on the way to bingo, so keep your fingers crossed and stay tuned in.

Dale's always got a scheme on the go.

He's no stranger to self-promotion.

At the moment, he's presenting his own internet radio show,

broadcasting live from his mum's front room.

It's going good. Live on air now.

He set it up the other day, he got 73 listeners on his first night.

I was just saying that to keep them tuned in.

I think it was about 15, though, 20 listeners. It's a start.

I'm a follower, I'm a groupie.

I'm 100% behind Dale, whichever path he takes.

Don't get me wrong, he's got to leave home and all that lot.

But I'll cry me eyes out when he says, "I'm leaving."

I've always been proud of Dale, I always will be.

Just had a call in to the studio off Joanne Brogan.

She's tuned in, listening to Mix station, enjoying the show.

That is one of me mum's friends.

I've got nine listeners! Big news! Nine listeners, I've got.

-Nine listeners.

-Dale the multimillionaire.

SHE LAUGHS

Wa-wa-wa!

# I can remember that when I was a little youth

# I wanted to fly around the world making a new life... #

Nicola and Crystal live in a one-bedroom council flat

on an estate just north of Harpurhey.

They survive on benefits.

And, in the past, Nicola has occasionally shoplifted to supplement her income.

When you're in there, you get the sugar rush of going,

"I'm getting it, I'm getting it and I've got it."

And then when you get out the doors, you're thinking,

"What have I done?" And you think you just want get it out your bag and go,

"I've got this from your shop, take it."

But then you get out and you think it's just mad.

You just want to dance outside and go, "I've done it."

Previously, Nicola sold the goods she stole.

But, occasionally, she kept some items for herself.

If I'm going to rob something, it would be a little daft thing in the house, like the candle.

And St Tropez make-up, which is really dear.

What else? My wallpaper and the carpet.

That lamp, which is broke now.

That's it, yeah.

And the clock there.

I'm not stealing from somebody, I'm stealing from the company.

This morning, the launderette was targeted by some light-fingered customers

on the look out for some new home decorations.

Just come in, picked up Maddy from school, and our pictures have gone.

They took John Travolta, Sid Vicious and Bono out of U2.

Look, gets his bag ready. Look at her laughing.

You won't be laughing when you come in again and I show you the film.

-How dare they?

-Even though it's nothing, sentimental value, nothing at all,

it just annoys me the way they think, "We're allowed to go in there and do that."

It's bad that, though.

It riles me up all this crime thing, proper riles me up.

Gets me really mad, really.

If I ran the country, my phrase would be "An eye for an eye."

Whatever anybody did, they'd have it done back to them.

I go shoplifting because I can't live on the social, like, with what I get.

Some people would say you should get a job and you should pay for that.

Yeah, um, well... You're right, I don't blame people thinking,

saying it's wrong to shoplift and you should get a job.

It's not a very nice thing to go shoplifting.

I'm not gonna be shoplifting all my life, definitely not.

Dale started another money-making enterprise.

This time, he's trying his hand at club promoting and he's putting on a night in town.

What you doing? You need to get ready.

It's a family affair. But, unfortunately for sister Abbie, it's over 18s only.

-Have you got ID, please? How old are you?

-Six.

-Are you going to drink beer?

-No.

-Right, promise.

-Promise.

I have a different idea every day.

Ideas come in and out of my head daily.

One of them will work, trust me.

All right, come on down.

-Come on.

-Dale's night is taking place at a mate's dad's pub in town.

Come on now.

Make some noise.

Move a little faster. Come on.

TECHNO MUSIC PLAYING

Tonight, Dale's charging £5 a ticket.

He's already spent cash on flyers and paying his mate Luke the DJ.

But his mum and auntie are the only paying customers so far.

Dale, do you know what? What an amazing guy.

Er, like, he's dead passionate about everything he does, basically.

He spreads the word, he's gonna get the money, he's gonna get rich.

It's the saying, "Get rich or try dying."

We're packed. OK, ravers!

HE LAUGHS

Yeah, we're packed. We're packed.

I just sort of hope that a few people come because, otherwise,

it's gonna be like this all night.

MUSIC: "Only Fools Rush In" by UB40

He is just a Del Boy, to be honest.

He thinks money, he lives money, he sleeps money, he wakes up money.

He's a trier. God loves a trier.

Luckily for Dale, he's got some punters on the way, the Wakefields.

Amber's still waiting to hear if she's got a place at drama school.

She's making the most of what could be her last summer at home

and is taking her mum for a big night out.

Just shaving these big hairy mamas.

SHE LAUGHS

On me mum's face.

If you laugh one more time, I'll shave your tache.

Get off! Amber! I swear, if you've done that,

I'll grow hairs. If I've got a tache in the morning, you're dead.

I hate being in the house with them all.

Talking about fucking make-up, like. "Paul put me eyelashes on for me."

You know what I mean? It's fucking hanging.

-Defo raver tonight!

-Weh!

We've had a few good nights out, yeah, we have.

We got free tickets to go and see Britney Spears.

We just had the biggest laugh ever.

Then was dead drunk by the time we got to see Britney Spears, which was good cos she's crap.

# I shake it in the morning

# I spray out in the night

# Yeah, I have a penis

# I shake it in the morning # Shake it

# And spray it out the night, woo-woo

# And spray it, and spray it, and spray it. #

Weh!

My mum was a right one when she was younger.

She's probably just living her past.

But now, like, she never gets older, she still lives with the time.

She's always said to me, "Just cos I'm old doesn't mean

"you have to go and get a perm and wear the right things."

So she still dyes her hair blonde.

-Look, MILF or what?

-Yes.

# Something's got a hold on me, yeah

# Oh, must be love

# Oh, something's got a hold on me... #

Amber's mum Karen has reservations about her eldest daughter leaving for drama school.

I'm dreading it when Amber leaves home, she's the rock of the house.

When me and Paul row, I can just mingle with Amber and we'll go out.

I don't want her to leave home.

It'll be strange, won't it? Me first born.

-# Oh!

-Oh!

-# Oh!

-Oh!

-Oh!

-# Oh!

-# Oh!

-Oh!

# Hey, yeah!

-# Oh, it must be love

-# You know it must be love

# Let me tell you now... #

Hey!

I'm absolutely bladdered and I don't drink.

I only need a sniff of it, that's it, that's me gone.

Paul's out as well but he's got a face like a melted welly.

I've just told him, cheer up or ship out and go.

Cos I'm out to have a laugh.

I never have a laugh any more. I said ship out.

When I go back in there, he'll probably be snogging someone.

SHE LAUGHS

Fucking unbelievable, you should have heard the racket

and the shit they was coming out with.

Singing mad penis songs and all that.

Yeah. Then I got one girl going on about her periods

in the taxi on the way down here. "Fucking shut up, will you?

"I have a fucking wank every day but I'm not shouting about it, am I?"

HE LAUGHS

A bit of bad news for everybody, it's last orders in the bar. Wow!

I'd like to thank everybody for turning up, yeah.

Despite eventually getting a big turnout,

the night has not been a financial success for Dale.

After paying for a few shots at the bar for everyone, he's just £6 up.

Thanks a lot. Cheers, everybody.

People have come, they've enjoyed it and they've come out.

Instead of going somewhere else, they've come to my night.

So, yeah, I'm buzzing. I'm over the moon.

Get us to the hotel. Paul's on a promise.

I don't know how I would feel if I was to leave home.

I won't feel scared because I'm very independent.

But I'd feel scared cos I don't want to really leave me mum.

It'd be like losing a best friend.

Nicola comes from a large family of Irish travellers.

Despite regular arguments with her mum, she still visits the family home most days.

I worry about Nicky an awful lot.

Nicola didn't have an easy life.

I mean, she was brought up by not her dad but by a stepdad, you know.

My real dad, he's in prison for murder.

He's done 19 years, I think.

He'll be out in two years.

She's a single mum with a baby.

She'll do the same thing what I've done.

Bring her kid up and make sure that she has a good life.

There's kids out there that hasn't got a mum or hasn't got a dad.

They've been put in care homes and not being looked after in care homes, you understand what I mean?

I made Nicola's choice when she was a baby,

to keep Nicola away from dangers.

Nicola has never met her real dad.

She sees her mum's ex Barry as her dad.

This is Barry Woodall, the bench man.

-He wanted to go into a rehab.

-I am going in detox.

He wants... He needs help, serious help.

Me dad that's brought me up, he was on drugs until we was, like, 16.

And he got off it and he was drinking for two years.

I want a rest.

-He lives on the streets him, me dad.

-He lives on a park bench.

-Cos these kicked me out years ago.

-Ask Barry what he come home for?

Me Lucozade.

That tells you all.

-Here we go.

-That says it all.

-And what?

-And here's the weakest link.

When Dale's not dreaming up ideas to make millions, his hobby is boxing.

He's had two amateur fights so far.

MUSIC: "Down With The Trumpets" by Rizzle Sticks

On the walls, I've got pictures of me boxing.

I've got a picture of my sister on there holding the gloves.

That's pretty cute, she was younger.

Boxing's not a game. You have to learn the basics.

Then you have so much to learn, as I learnt from my first fight.

I just... I got beat up, I won but I had to have a fight, I didn't box.

Go on, Dale!

Dale's mum Lisa goes to all his fights and always films them.

The first fight, as a mum, I wanted to shout, "Throw the towel in."

All I could see was blood. I couldn't focus, you know.

I just wanted to get him out of the ring.

It's different on telly. It's someone else. You're not bothered.

But when it's your own kid in there, you don't know what'll happen, it's different.

Dale's got three weeks to get into shape for his next amateur fight.

I think that my career's not going the best so far.

But I'm still, like, 100% hungry and dedicated.

Two miles down the road from Dale's house is Strangeways Prison.

It looms large over Harpurhey and to some in the area it's a second home.

Strangeways is a fucking shite-hole, you can see it from our house.

I've been in there, er, I don't know, what, three times maybe.

It's a hovel, it's a shit-hole.

I didn't really know of it until I was about, like, 11 or something.

Paul got sent into Strangeways and we had to go and visit him, go through all that security stuff.

I hated visiting Paul in Strangeways.

We told Madison that he was working for the Queen.

SHE LAUGHS

Because I thought my dad was working for the Queen,

I thought it was a bit weird and suspicious why we had to get a dog

to come and sniff us, to check if, like, we had anything.

21-year-old Ryan has just completed a four-week sentence at Strangeways,

after breaking the terms of a restraining order taken out by his ex-girlfriend.

Um, I sent threats to kill her in a text and that was it.

To my ex.

It's not my first time. It's not good, I wouldn't go back.

But it's not as bad as everyone goes on about.

Half the people in Harpurhey have been in Strangeways, or know someone,

or they've got family members, or friends who have been in there.

It's the local jail, so it is where everyone goes around here, straight down the road to there.

Ryan lives with his parents to the south of Harpurhey.

Hello, darling.

He became a dad just under a year ago and, due to his prison sentence,

he's only seen his daughter Lilly twice in the past month.

Oh, hello.

His mum Karen brought her for visits.

No.

He's not going back again cos we're not taking her.

That was the last time, it was the last time.

Thank god, we hope.

Weren't it?

At the end of the day, what he does is what he does.

He's old enough to know. But I would never ever take her through that again, never.

It's horrible, it's degrading.

She's at the age where she won't remember. That's the reason I asked me mum to bring her.

That's not the point. She shouldn't be going through that.

I had to take her through that thing with her shoes and coat off,

stick her in a thing while they searched her.

No, I'm sorry, Ryan, but I wouldn't do it again.

We won't do it again, will we?

It's stupid. I was drunk. The beer that, like, took, over me, but...

Mm... People do things they regret.

Just needs to think before he drinks.

Enough's enough with him now. He goes out for a drink

and he gets in that much bleeding trouble, it's unbelievable.

But I'm not doing it no more. No.

Once it's done, I can't even sit and dwell on it,

or just try and put it behind me and learn from me mistakes

and not do it again this time.

But I can't help where I was born and where I'm raised and where I'm from.

Some of us are deprived, some of us are not.

For me, it's been tough, but it's made me who I am today.

Right, watch me floor, Dad.

Nicola's stepdad Barry has been sleeping rough.

But, tonight, Nicola's allowed him to stay at her flat.

-I'll pour it for you.

-Slowly.

You're killing me, Dad.

There, right, go and sit in there and chill out.

I was going anyway.

Watch the baby.

Hello, my missus.

You need to get off that Lambrini.

What do you normally drink?

MUSIC: "Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman

Barry normally drinks on the streets

but he's been given an ASBO that stops him going into town.

I feel tight on him cos he's got nowhere else to go and he's me dad.

# I say his body's too young to look like this

# My mama went off and left him

# She wanted more from life than he could give

# I said somebody's got to take care of him

# So I quit school and that's what I did... #

It's OK, Dad.

-Yeah.

-All right?

Yeah.

Wake up.

It's three weeks until Dale's fight,

and as well as a busy training schedule,

today he's also got a job interview.

Wake up.

Let's get ready for sparring, girls.

A mile up the road is the boxing gym.

Come on, Callum, make a name for yourself, our kid.

Dale's coach Tommy is expecting him for an important sparring session with the other lads at the gym.

I know he's had a few late nights. Change, Lyndon and Curtis.

I know everything. I get told a lot of things.

And that's why I just need to see for me self.

I'm absolutely fuming.

Lyndon, Billy, all the lads who are fighting, told them to come for some sparring.

Obviously, for Dale, you know, he's got a fight on.

He's probably been in bed all day.

He's trying to be a master of everything.

I know he done some kind of DJ night on Saturday.

So, obviously, he wasn't doing shadow boxing

while everyone was dancing or training.

So he would've been drinking.

Put it this way, he's got minimum one more chance.

He's got to come here maybe Monday and show me he's ready to fight.

And if not, you know, this fight's more off than it is on.

Hello, hello.

-Hello.

-Keep her.

Ryan has access to his daughter Lilly two days a week.

Since coming out of prison, he's focused on being a good dad.

Oh, baba. And baba's good. All kisses.

Oh, kisses for the baba.

It's hard, it's hard work, but it pays off in the end.

Like, you gotta put your own life on hold, you know,

and make sure that she's first.

It didn't hit me until she was there and they put her in me arms.

It was like, "Oh, wow! It's real this," you know what I mean.

-It's just something you've got to do.

-Hmm. Come to nana now.

I wouldn't want my daughter seeing what I've seen and been through.

If anything, it's inspiration to get out of the place you're in.

I don't want to raise my daughter round here,

so it's down for me to do something about that.

You should dream and you should always want to better yourself.

Even if you know you're not going to get it.

You could dream of being a millionaire, even though it never happens.

It's something to work to, something to push yourself with.

For some in Harpurhey, weekday mornings follow a similar pattern.

At 9:30, behind closed doors, a regular ritual begins.

"Why let me bond with your daughter if you know I'm not her dad?"

He's hanging anyway.

-He's a buzz.

-I always watch Jeremy Kyle.

I think he's a buzz. I like him, me.

He just tells it how it is, don't he? It's funny.

I always watch it. And Jeremy Kyle USA.

"And I don't want nought."

GUESTS ARGUE ON TELEVISION

"Answer the question. Why haven't you told us..."

I like watching Jeremy Kyle because, after five minutes, you realise how lucky your life is.

People love it. Sat there, have a brew.

Half-nine in the morning, no work, come on.

Every time I see it in the morning,

"Yeah, I fucking know him, I know her."

"She's a silly cow her." Honestly.

People watch it at half-nine and let him come back on at half-one on ITV2 and watch him again.

Do you know what I mean, fuck that.

# You got me begging me for mercy

# Why won't you release me?

# I said release me-ee-ee. #

There's good news at the Wakefields,

as Amber's had a message from the drama school down south.

"Congratulations, the University of Essex has asked us to tell you

"that it is offering you a place for acting starting September 2012."

A whole lot of panic's just suddenly hit me.

I feel a bit... I don't know.

It's excitement but I think it's only hit me

that I'll be moving away on the 17th September it said.

I think I'm scared of leaving me mum cos this morning she said to me,

"You're starting to do your own washing now."

And I thought, "God, if she's telling me to do me own washing now at home,

"then I'm gonna have to do it away and buy me own shopping."

I even had a bit of a... I felt a bit upset that I had to do me own washing at home.

I thought, "Bloody hell, I must be growing up, I have to do me own clothes." I don't think I'm ready.

# I kissed a girl just to try it

# I hope my boyfriend don't mind it. #

How much money do you want to lend off me?

-£20.

-20?

-Yes.

Oh, I keep on telling her I'm skint.

What the hell?

It's just what I've saved, you know, just bits of change, loose change.

Loose change? Thank you.

I don't know what it is, I've got an addiction to fivers.

I love £5 notes.

-Are you happy that I'm moving away to London?

-No, don't be so stupid.

It's weird, innit? It's strange.

And what if you don't like it? What are you gonna do?

That's what I mean, it's a hard choice I've gotta have to make.

Oh, don't want her to go. That's me worst nightmare.

I'd just miss her, having her there, really.

I'd probably miss the house, it'll be so quiet.

I like the noise and, you know, the dysfunctionality of our house.

There's never a dull moment, we're never all sat there boring.

There's always something going on.

Another new mascara, keep your little mitts off.

I don't. I don't touch any of your mascaras, I don't touch them.

-I don't touch your stuff.

-Don't touch it?

Every morning, I see you tripping over everything in there.

I'm looking for your baby wipes half the time.

No, you're in this bag.

I haven't really thought of Amber leaving home much.

But I think I'd be happy and I think I'd be a little bit sad.

# I got your e-mail, you just don't get females, now do you? #

I'll be sad because she's me sister and I'll obviously miss her.

And I'll be happy that I have peace.

And maybe I could try and take over her room.

# You have to cry me out

# You have to cry me out

# You can't keep talking but, baby, I'm walking away... #

Whether it's boxing, business or trying to get famous,

Dale's always had the support of his family.

Although, he hasn't seen his dad since he was a baby.

It's always been me and my mum and Abbie.

So it's up to me to protect them in a way.

I'm the man of the house, you know.

I'm over-protective, especially of my sister.

If anyone ever hurt my sister, I'd, you know, I'd do stupid things.

I'd end up in prison and I would do the time for it as well.

I don't know my dad. My mum left him when she was pregnant with me

cos, apparently, he was just, you know, a bit useless.

When my mum first asked me if I wanted to meet him,

I felt angry in a way that I wanted to... I wanted to hit him.

I don't know why.

Maybe it might've been because of upsetting me mum and stuff like that.

So I think it's just best that we don't see each other.

It's his loss. If he wanted to see me he could.

But I don't want to see him.

My mum is my dad and that's who...

That's who's in me life and that's who's brought me up.

After 19 years, why would he want someone,

a stranger, basically, just to walk into his life now?

You wouldn't have that relationship, you wouldn't have a father-son relationship.

It's just like a man out the pub.

Nicola is still struggling to make ends meet and, at the moment, she can't afford to put the heating on.

"We filled your pay-as-you-go meter on the 25th June as you agreed."

"We'll collect £13.50 a week to pay your outstanding balance of £344."

"If you keep up these regular payments,

"your outstanding balance will be cleared by January 2013."

£344.

£13 a week? I couldn't even afford that either.

I'm thinking about leaving it all behind.

You feel trapped in a cave, like tied up in a cave and...

You don't want to be around it all.

It's not a nice living.

Despite the bills stacking up,

Nicola won't cut back where Crystal is concerned.

It's expensive to have a baby.

Maybe the social and the MP doesn't know that.

Can't start putting your baby in Primark clothes cos you wear it.

A baby should be wearing a nice decent pair of shoes on their feet.

Something nice and designer, really.

That's how much I... That's what I pay for her.

Well, I love TK Maxx, absolutely love that, that's good.

You can get designer clothes but cheap in there.

It's £10 for a pair of Ralph Lauren, like, jeans and stuff.

So it is cheap in one way to put your kid in designer clothes, if you root through.

Ryan is unemployed but he has dreams of leaving the area and making it big as a rapper.

He's preparing for a headline performance at an upcoming rap battle.

That's the most hyped about battle of the day, but I'll win it.

That's my battle all day that.

A rap battle is where two rap artists face off against each other

and see who's the best by slagging each other.

You can go metaphorically and punch line and go clever lyrics.

Or slag family members. Areas where they live, what they look like, hairstyles, anything.

The main thing to do is make the crowd laugh.

That's it. But it's good cos you can get like paid to go to America.

If you impress over here, American leagues like King Of The Dot go,

"We want you to battle our guy from here, American artist."

They pay for your flight and accommodation and you come over and battle.

Ryan's got access to his opponent's Facebook page

to find out information that can be used against him.

I've got his girlfriend, got all pictures of her and everything.

All pictures of them doing stuff and that.

Go on his info there. He does a nice biography of himself there.

He's put a big paragraph describing himself, what he's done,

what he does and that. So that I got all that straightaway.

# Let's go to the beach, each, Let's go get away

# They say what they gonna say Have a drink... #

Weh!

Fresh from her offer of a place at drama school,

today, Amber is celebrating another landmark,

becoming an adult.

Oh, it feels like a shoe box.

-Dorothy Perkins.

-I wonder what it is.

-Is it the same shoes?

Imagine.

-Oh!

-Oh, my god.

-Oh, they're beautiful.

-That is amazing.

Oh, fucking shoes.

We went on holiday once and between them both, we only went for 11 days,

they filled the suitcase full of shoes, just shoes.

40 pairs of shoes for 11 days between them both. You know what I mean?

I went to pick the case up, I thought there was a body in there, it was that heavy.

All I can really say is that I can buy alcohol.

I couldn't care less about voting.

-I couldn't care.

-I didn't think of that.

-Can we really vote? Does it really matter?

-I don't get it, anyway.

-Who are the parties? Who do I vote for?

-You vote for Labour.

What's it for, anyway? President? It's not for the president, is it?

-I was gonna say mayor.

-God knows what it is.

But it's for something.

-Yeah, just those people that control our lives.

-I couldn't care less.

Amber's always thought she was an adult from the age of five.

They know everything about fucking nothing.

Ryan, also known by his stage name Raptor, is in Warrington

for his rap battle against Dave, AKA Evila.

A win today could boost Ryan's profile as an up-and-coming rapper.

There's Evila now.

In the run-up to the battle, both rappers have been slating each other over the internet.

They're starting the pre-battle banter. It's better that way cos there's a bit of animosity.

You want to beat him.

If you're battling someone you like... I don't want to say...

Cos when you don't like them, you say,

"Fuck it. I'll do it anyway, I just want to beat him."

Welcome, everybody, to Rapped in Wire Behind the Bars for you.

One! Make some noise.

CHEERING

There'll be a lot of jokes, there'll be a lot of mum jokes and things like that.

Really, you have to have a split personality.

# Your mum's a whore always knocking on my door

# For a brand-new ride and she's wanting more... #

We live in these towns and cities that people don't really hear of or don't want to.

Therefore, we stand up to prove ourselves.

It's allowing equal opportunities for the little man, the quiet man, do you know what I mean.

# See my ambition is plenty and I've got skill

# So why the fuck have I been put against MC Hot Wheels? #

LAUGHTER

# He steps into this battle he can cause some trouble

# You know what I'll just roll forward so I can burst your bubble #

I, personally, let all me aggression out in a battle match.

Like a one-on-one with a psychologist because I'm emptying my heart.

And, you know, I'm getting all my feelings out. That's why it helps me.

Everyone show fucking respect, yeah. We're both rappers, we are, yeah.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Well, it's set up similar to a boxing match, battle rap.

But where they throw a punch physically, we throw a punch line,

which is a lyrical form. It'll hurt just as much.

Some of the stuff that's said in the battle

will probably hurt just as much as a punch in the face.

# His mother can't sleep on her fucking back cos the weight on her stomach would crush her fast

# I mean, if your mum laid on her back, the weight of them tits

# Would defo make her lungs collapse... #

My mum loves it, my mum will laugh at it and say, "You cheeky bugger."

# So you've been fighting with kids We'll meet up in mortal gamble

# If you want to brawl I'll bang you

# Gather my cord drag you to the door and hang you

# I got this behind the bars - why?

# Cos they were the doors that canned you

# And I'm going to deliver a harder sentence that any court could hand you. #

Time!

Once you're in that circle, you've got to perform.

If you stop, people will boo you, people will laugh at you.

There's so much pressure when it comes to battling it's unbelievable.

# I'm still trying to discover what planet you're from

# And I forgot that last...

# And, you know, listen, cos... #

A choke is probably the worst thing you could do in a battle.

The worst thing after the choke is stand there silent trying to think. Say anything.

# I'm fucking free, it would even have role play for the Pope

# Or let Michael Barrymore take him home. #

Fuck it, time. Go on, let him take it.

APPLAUSE

# Raptor, why the hype, mate? You're boring, your tape's appalling

# And to be honest you ain't great performing

# And you got a strong affection and a long erection

# For One Direction song collection. #

Time!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

After the battle, that's it, we'll get pissed up together and have a laugh about it.

"I can't believe you said that about me mum." It's, like, whatever.

That's it. Shake hands. Who am I battling next?

Let's go and find some shit out and that.

OK, this is it, this is the judging hour.

Er, unanimous decision, it's three to one.

Both battlers were completely sick.

Came at each other hard, but it's three to one to Evila.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

That's how it goes, innit? I got beat.

I am gutted, but, yeah, be better next time.

Fuck. Gutted that I dropped me third, gutted.

Nicola's been struggling to cope alone in her flat.

And her relationship with her mum is difficult.

After 19 years, she's made the big decision to leave her family in Harpurhey behind.

I just don't want to talk to my mum, I can't be bothered with her.

I've got a life now and I've got a kid.

I don't like the family that I've had, that god made me to have.

I didn't want them.

Nicola has moved in with her auntie Lisa 10 miles away on the other side of Manchester.

I think we just get along. We've both got kids and we know how it feels and stuff like that.

Yeah, Nicola is well better with me.

Gives her the time to think about what she wants, what her future is.

If she starts making plans and then she tells them to me,

I wait and I wait until she's ready to get up and follow her plans.

Wee!

I want a new life, I really do want a new life.

And up here, I'll be able to get a new life, I think.

One, two, three!

One, two, three!

Despite the turmoil in her life, Nicola is sure of one thing,

that Crystal is her number-one priority.

Got to have a lot to love. Love's the main part.

You've got to have love.

Like, with me, I never had love in my life, never.

With my dad I did, yeah. But with my mum, I didn't.

So all my love, what I've got to give for years, it's gone on her.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Look, the grass, you can do anything with it.

Wow! Is that good?

Through my pregnancy,

Adele come out and the song's come out, um, that Someone Like You.

Every time I used to put it on, Crystal used to kick and stuff.

When I was giving birth, I was singing it in me head.

It was the best thing in my life when Crystal come out.

You'd do anything for your kid. When people say that, people without kids,

they think, "Well, why would you do anything?" I would, literally.

People would do anything for their kids.

Oh, you're in jail.

Oh, she's in jail. Ah!

# Birds flying high, you know how I feel

# Sun in the sky, you know how I feel #

Dale's finally taking his training seriously.

And he's proved to coach Tommy that he's fit to take part in the fight.

He's in shape enough to do three two minute-rounds.

If he can't, then, you know, he should pack it in, shouldn't he?

# There's a new dawn... #

Ryan may have lost the rap battle this time, but he's hanging on to his dreams of a better life.

If you're gonna dream, what's the point in not dreaming about the best.

And I know people who want to be singers, dancers, actors.

There's nought wrong with aspiring to be something.

It's just pushing yourself towards it.

Amber has made a big decision about her future.

Her dreams of leaving her neighbourhood to study drama will, for now, be put on hold.

I think going to London at this age, I'm not ready for it.

The thought of moving is making me feel a bit sick.

You said to me the other day I had to do my own washing.

I nearly had a heart attack.

Everything was just way too fast for me.

It was just scary.

-What, doing your own washing?

-Not just washing, moving away.

It's like, say if I needed you and it's like...

It's like five hours to get there.

I know you wouldn't cope.

London is a much faster place compared to what Amber's used to.

I went down there one day. I was there half an hour and I thought,

"Fuck that, I'm getting back." Honestly.

That's how bad it was. I thought, "Fuck me."

Everything's whizzing past me at 100 miles per hour.

-I'm not ready.

-You're not ready, are you?

I think I've made the right choice of not leaving home this year.

I needed this gap year to sort of get my head round everything.

Everything was going too fast. I've only just turned 18.

This year was just too much.

-I'm not ready for you to leave.

-I don't think I'm ready to leave.

It would be weird, wouldn't it? It'd be strange without you.

-I think it would.

-I do, so I don't... I don't think I'm ready.

I don't think I'll ever be ready for my kids to leave home, will I?

Get your chin in! Jab him up!

At a club two miles west of Harpurhey,

the lads from the local boxing gym are taking part in a fight night.

The community is out in force and the Wakefields have come along to support Dale.

Go on, kid. Go on, kid, don't stop.

You gotta smack this kid straight in the line.

There we go. You're punching hard, come on.

Good man, on the target, come on. Good lad.

Dale's fight is up next and Tommy's got some last-minute words of motivation.

You can do this, you can really, really do this.

I feel calm like, I don't feel

nervous. When I'm going down, that's when I get that nervous feeling.

-Good luck.

-Thanks.

-Do you know what you're doing?

Yeah, I'm just gonna start smacking him. Go, "Hit me, hit me."

You're better than him.

Love you.

If you're messing about in the boxing and you're in that ring, you get hurt, you get knocked out.

You don't... It's not fun, do you know what I mean?

I've never seen anyone laughing while they're getting beat up.

Unless they're a bit mentally disturbed.

# Express yourself

# Express yourself, oh, do it! #

SHOUTING

I've give him £20.

If he wins, he can keep the £20.

If he don't win, he's got to give me 40. So he might win.

And representing the Moston ABC, Dale Walker.

I always try and clock whoever he's fighting.

I always make a point of trying to find out who he's fighting, then look who they've come with.

Who are they with? Let's have a look.

See if his mum's here, in case I need to have a fight with his mum.

You never know, do you? He might be cocky and all that and starting.

His mum might say, "Come on, and you. Bring it on outside, love."

Let's go now.

Go on, Dale! Go on, son! Go on, Dale!

"Come on, Dale! Smack him, Dale!"

-Go on, Dale.

-I'm a bit intimidated by my mum.

I'll get in with any person at 11 stone and fight him.

But, my mum, you know, I'd have second thoughts. Honestly.

Go on, Dale!

Go on, Dale, give it him.

Good shot.

Yes, good lad.

APPLAUSE

Dale! Oh, he can kill him.

I know he's gonna win, you know what I mean? But it just does me head in.

Watch out for the jab.

Watching Dale fight is the worst experience I've ever seen.

Your kid in there, you know, getting battered or having a fight and you can't stop it.

It's not a street fight where you can actually go up and stop kids fighting or whatever.

You're actually... You see them in there, it's like, "Oh, my god!"

There's nothing you can do, you know.

I don't like it but I would never ever miss one, never.

Dale, 30 seconds!

Whatever I do throughout my life, whether I succeed or fail,

my mum will always be there no matter what.

Dale, upper cut!

SHOUTING

-Fuck him!

-Come on, Dale!

Yes, Dale!

BELL RINGS

APPLAUSE

Whoa!

After a strong start, Dale's lost the fight.

Fuck off, fucking bastard.

CHEERING

Fucking twat.

Bastard.

I am proud of him, he's not something that I'd hide in the cupboard, anyway.

He isn't, he's my son and I love him to bits and I am proud of him.

Thanks, Mum.

I want her to be proud.

I think she should be, she's done a good job.

Next week, nine new-born puppies at the Wakefields

push the family to breaking point.

He's got to come home today.

My favourite saying to her now is, "Kaz, are these yours?"

Landlord Nik and tenant face off in an eviction battle.

And best mates Arrol and Patrick

prepare for their first holiday together.

My idea of a good holiday is getting tanned all day with carrot oil dripping off your tits.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd