Episode 4 Hotel of Mum and Dad

-Living at home is a cushy number, leaving you with money to burn.

-500.

£20 a month on nails, that's never changing.

That's a grand and a half.

My financial focus is having massive jugs.

No wonder so many young people are living with Mum and Dad.

I do the cooking, I do the cleaning.

-Sarah pretty much does everything, don't she?

-Yeah.

-It's luxury, really.

-They're even moving their other half in.

My parents went away for three and a half weeks, so I moved him in.

All of a sudden there's a boy in her bedroom.

I think the reason that I stay here a lot is for an easier life, really.

So what happens when they have to move out and fend for themselves?

-I don't want you to be heard.

-You're going into meltdown.

-You're making me go into meltdown.

We're giving young couples the chance to find out.

I don't know what to do with this, how do I put in the bin?

-Will they relish their freedom?

-Sex life has been fantastic!

Or push each other to breaking point?

Oh, my God! Why are you making me look like a dick?

-Will they move out for good?

-I'm so excited!

Or run home to the Hotel of Mum and Dad?

What have you decided to do?

Meet Sami and Roshelle from Bristol, a couple in their late teens

desperate for a little space.

-I knew!

-As living with Sami's parents, Said and Theresa,

means three generations under one roof.

We live with my mum, my dad, my sister, her boyfriend,

Granddad, and there's also three dogs.

-BARKING

-Always busy, yeah. Every night, we've got to feed all of them

and they eat a lot.

It's like being at school, being a dinner lady.

Everybody has different meals as well.

Some don't like this and some don't like that.

No, I just don't like onions the size of a house.

And while they all get on well, Roshelle has really made her presence known.

It's hard work, especially cos Roshelle doesn't like lumps,

so I've got to make sure I get 'em all out.

And with family life being a bit of a squeeze,

there's not much opportunity for privacy.

Our sex life suffers a lot.

We've got his mum right next door and her bed's right next to this door.

-There's never a free house.

-Never.

Not quite the happy ending Roshelle imagined

when their eyes first met two years ago over a deep-fat fryer.

I moved down from Liverpool and I worked at McDonald's

and this lovely chap was working in the kitchen and...

First time I met her, she smiled at me, actually, and that's what drew me in.

I wasn't interested one single bit, but he kept trying and trying.

And then he sent me this message that broke the ice,

even though it only said, "If you want any shifts covering, here's my number."

Work, but we all knew what that meant!

And the rest is history.

Now Sami is working as a roofer...

..and Roshelle has two jobs, working part-time in a supermarket and a pub.

-£4 change.

-Thank you.

-All right?

But this feisty Birkenhead girl has big ambitions.

I want to go in the Royal Navy as a medic. I've wanted to do it since I was younger.

I hope to be the next woman in the Royal Navy to achieve The Blue Cross.

And Roshelle is moving their relationship forward with military precision.

We want to move out because of a lot of different issues,

like tension, clashes, too many people in the house, family.

-Not enough space for us.

-No privacy.

We just can't really spend time together, can we, no more?

-Will you miss me, Granddad?

-I don't like them to go,

but still I hope they make a future. That's all I...that's all I want.

I'd say I'm definitely driving the move on, definitely.

She seems to get her own way all the time.

I'm very upfront and opinionated, so I'll be like, "Right, this needs to be done."

He's a softie anyway, he's got no choice.

-She's the boss in the relationship.

-Most women are, love.

BOTH LAUGH

And Sami has his hands full with feisty Roshelle,

neither of them like to give in.

We're both really competitive, like, extremely competitive.

The competitive streak in us does create arguments,

cos obviously if she loses at Scrabble and thinks she wins, then...

I never lost, it was definitely a word. Definitely a word.

It was a made-up word.

You should let me win cos I'm your girlfriend.

And Roshelle has won this time, cos we're giving them the chance to road test living alone

away from Sami's parents for a week.

But there's one big problem.

Sami relies on his mum for everything.

My mum does a hell of a lot for me, she cooks, she cleans, she helps me out with money.

-All right, Mum?

-All right, love.

-Did you do my room?

-I did, love, yes.

He's pretty useless around the house, he doesn't do anything really, unless he's told to do it.

-He's a mummy's boy.

-Pressure's on.

-Watch your fingers.

And this mummy's boy is worried it could all end in tears.

I don't think I'm ready to move out, to be honest. I...really don't.

I'm not going to do everything for him, he's going to have to grow up and stand on his own two feet.

I'm scared of everything going wrong, really.

I don't think me and Roshelle will ever break up, but that's also what I'm scared of.

Though when Roshelle makes up her mind...there's usually no stopping her.

I want to prove to him that he'll love it, but I need to push him.

Excuse me, you've given yourself a massive S and you gave me a teeny R.

And Sami's not the only one feeling apprehensive.

If they move out, we've got each other and we'll have to talk to each other.

SHE LAUGHS

You can move out as well. THEY LAUGH

So from a mummy's boy...to a daddy's boy.

Essex lad, Liam, is engaged to Manchester girl, Leah.

The 23-year-olds have lived with his dad, Bill, since Leah moved in five years ago.

Leah's got the whole lot, she's good looking.

-Liam's really lovely.

-She's got a nice body.

-I really don't know quite where I'd be without him sometimes.

-SHE LAUGHS

Ah! It was love at first sight when they met through online dating.

I sent him a message.

Typically, when you're that age, it was something like, "Hi, babe, you're well fit."

She looked like a model, but she e-mailed and said that I was really good looking.

And I thought, "She must be fake."

And then I got a nice little message back saying that he thought I was too beautiful, I couldn't be real.

And we started chatting on MSN and that.

We kind of decided to meet up, so he drove up to Manchester.

We started actually going out that day, you know, so I was obviously doing something right.

A year later, Leah left behind her family in Manchester

and moved 200 miles south to Braintree, Essex.

It was kind of like a whirlwind romance.

Which was a good thing, because I don't think I could go any longer without her being closer.

Since then, Leah's built a life, got a job, and is working on a singing career.

# You got to get up and try, try, try

# Got to get up and try, try, try! #

The trouble is, this relationship has three people in it.

Liam wouldn't be Liam without his dad.

-How are you?

-You all right?

-Yeah.

I think we are really close, as close as we're ever going to get.

We both rely on each other. You know, sometimes he needs my help, sometimes I need his help.

Liam calls his dad for anything and everything.

He keeps me informed of every little thing.

Liam would call his dad if he trod on a snail.

If I need someone to talk to, he's in the next room.

If I don't want to be chatting with Leah, you know, I've got my dad to chat to.

But swapping life with her parents and two sisters for Liam and Bill

has been quite the change for Leah.

You can't just kind of go, help, I've got like a bad hair day,

or bad make-up going on, or can you fix a nail?

It just doesn't happen. So, yeah, it's really difficult.

Though despite it being Bill's house,

it's Liam who rules the roost, as this professional care worker finds it hard to switch off.

I'm constantly, like, trying to be the sort of like the boss of the house

and making sure everything goes all right and smoothly.

I'm a bit of a worrier as well.

Liam's extremely bossy, but in a really endearing way.

If...if that even works.

He wants everything perfect all the time.

-It's still shrunk.

-And if he sees something that's not quite right,

even if it's only a sugar grain on the kitchen side, he will pull you up about it.

I am definitely the boss of the house, not bossy, but I'm definitely the boss of the house.

But now it's Leah calling the shots.

After five years of living at Bill's, she wants her independence.

We need to get out of the home...

and just sort of experience living, literally, just by ourselves

and not having to worry about anybody else.

So we're going to give them the chance to try living in a place of their own for a week,

but this time it's in Leah's home town of Manchester.

I never, ever thought that I would leave Manchester.

And me and my mum and my sisters are massively close, I do still miss them terribly.

However, there's just one problem.

Change is quite a hard thing for me, because I like...I like to do things that I know.

And so Liam really doesn't want to leave Essex.

Moving away to a strange city, you know, is a massive change.

I'd find it quite difficult.

I think it'll be great for him, toughen him up a bit.

I reckon being that far away from my dad is going to be hard.

Just knock some of his southern fairyness out of him, really.

I'm quite scared to do it.

So while you can't take Essex out of the boy,

can Leah take the boy out of Essex?

If Liam could, he would stay as close as possible to his dad,

-but he doesn't have a choice in the matter.

-SHE LAUGHS

So we've got two boys hanging on to the apron strings.

-Did you do my room?

-I did, love, yeah.

I reckon being that far away from my dad is going to be hard.

One mummy's boy and his feisty Scouse girlfriend.

He's going to have to grow up and stand on his own two feet.

And a play-it-safe daddy's boy being dragged away by his adventurous missus.

If Liam could he would stay as close as possible to his dad,

but he doesn't have a choice in the matter.

Will the ladies win, or will the boys run home with their tails between their legs?

You're such a liar.

Oh, my God! Why are you making me look like a dick?

-Has someone stolen £20?

-I haven't taken the 20 pounds!

We are giving both couples the money they need to try renting a place of their own for a week,

but it's the same budget they would have if they were going it alone for real.

Now, both couples are working out how much that is.

77 on bills. God!

And it looks like living at home means they can spend like there's no tomorrow.

Leah's weakness is the make-up counter.

My money would go on things like eyelashes, nails.

Sometimes I see the odd receipt and I say, "Leah, what's that for?"

Make-up, hair products, things like that.

-We argue about money, I cause it.

-HE LAUGHS

So, yeah, I tend to spend quite a lot of money.

While Sami and Roshelle are suckers for the sun.

We have so much spare money, we spend it on, like, going away.

-We've had six holidays in the last...

-Year.

They went to Marrakech. May, they went to Tunisia for a week.

We're going away again in December, aren't we?

They like spending money on holidays, which is...which is fine.

Liam and Leah earn £700 a week between them,

so Mr Sensible, Liam, thinks they need to make some savings.

Maybe you can cut back on getting your nails done and your eyelashes?

-You don't really need them, you've got nice eyelashes anyway.

-I do need 'em.

Your nails are growing now, so that's another thing you can stop doing, just paint them yourself.

How much does that save you? Have a look here.

It'd save you 75 quid.

Sami and Roshelle work out that their joint income is £470 a week,

so they're sticking to a tight budget as they head off on a house hunt.

-Are you excited?

-Yeah. I hope we like it.

They cleverly bag a bargain and rent this two-bedder off a family friend for just £110 a week.

-It's quite nice, isn't it?

-It's lovely, isn't it? I love it.

Liam and Leah go house hunting too,

and like this couple's first encounter it's happening online. Very modern.

I reckon up Manchester we'll be able to get a lot more for our money than down south.

You can get more for your money, yeah, definitely.

Just put in Manchester. Probably the perfect property would be a minimum two bedrooms, really.

-It's disgusting, isn't it?

-SHE LAUGHS

A nice garden for the dogs.

Sounds great, but on the £200 a week they can afford,

a one-bedroom, no garden and no pets is looking more likely.

I did think we could probably get more up north, but from what I've seen, I don't know.

Their new home being 200 miles away, Liam and Leah have to make their arrangements online,

but before they know it the virtual becomes the actual.

I'm really looking forward to seeing my family.

Hopefully, have them round for dinner or something.

-And for both couples it is time to get moving.

-That'll do.

-You are useless.

-What?!

In Essex, the boy who hates change is facing up to his fears,

a new place with no space in a city hundreds of miles from home.

Leah's just chucking anything and everything in suitcases.

And they're going to have to leave behind their surrogate kids, Sway and Bentley.

-Mmm!

-Not to mention Liam's dear old dad.

I don't think they realise the reality of, you know, sort of actually setting up on their own.

I think they'll survive, but they will have a little shock.

So how will Liam get on being so far out of his comfort zone and without Bill?

HORN See you later. Yes, they've gone!

HE LAUGHS Yes!

And in Bristol, Sami and Roshelle are going too.

-TAPE SCREECHES

-That noise is driving me insane.

And while there's the odd anxious moment...

I hope I'm not moving this for no reason and you sack me off after a week.

This move couldn't be more organised, as Roshelle is in charge

and she's been preparing for this day for months.

My mum and dad always told me to buy things on payday, only little things,

so then in the end you had loads of stuff and that's what we did.

We've also got two sofa beds, also got our bowls, our pots and pans.

Not fans of packing lightly, I think they've got a bit carried away.

-This is my fan, all right?

-This WAS your fan!

It was my fan...and you took it.

And Sami's klepto side is the least of Roshelle's worries.

I'm worried about doing all this and doing it

for nothing in case Sami doesn't like it.

And I'm scared that he's just going to run back and then all this

hard work and all the money we've spent over the last

couple of months is just going to go to waste.

Roshelle's not the only one with a lot on her mind.

Liam and Leah have arrived in Manchester

and Liam's northern adventure is off to a bad start.

-What?

-Given me a ticket, haven't they?

Only a few minutes late.

Just don't dwell on your fine. Just...

Let's concentrate on the move and...

Don't worry, babe. I'll-I'll help you out as much as I can.

With Liam in charge of the budget, a £25 loss is an early blow.

Not a cloud in the sky.

As long as they can find the flat easily, then everything'll be fine.

-What does it say on the thing?

-278. I'm only on 100 and something.

We've got a parking ticket, we've got no place to sleep...

And they say these things come in threes.

-There's no TV.

-Yeah, it's really nice.

-Yeah, there's no TV, though.

Oh, dear. We'll have to make our own amusement then, won't we?

Yay, like a fun-packed tour of their new home,

which shouldn't take that long, actually.

Bedroom's not too bad, Leah.

It's nice, isn't it, on the whole?

-Oh, we've got a washing machine.

-Have we?

-We've got a washing machine.

-Is there a TV in there?

No. Light bulb.

-I'd rather a TV.

-Always need a light bulb.

While there's no light at the end of Liam's dark tunnel...

..back in Bristol, there's a brighter outlook for Roshelle

and Sami on their move day.

-See you, Roshelle.

-Good luck with the, er, unpacking. Bye.

Thank you.

Roshelle quickly distracts Sami from missing his mum by talking money.

20 quid for leccy, £20 for council tax, £20 petrol...

After rent and bills, they're left with just £200 a week for groceries,

going out and one other expense Roshelle hadn't even considered.

I just realised something.

Please tell me that my fag money isn't coming out of this.

-Yeah, it does.

-I didn't think.

Oh, we definitely can't afford that. That's like £30 a week.

Now I'm going to quit. I'm definitely...

I can't afford that.

I bet you'll buy a packet during next week.

I'm going to quit on Monday, so I'm going to quit Sunday night,

have no fags. If I've got fags left over,

I'll happily let you chuck them over that balcony. That's a deal.

With just two days left until Roshelle kicks the habit

for good, she decides to make the most of the time she has left.

Part of me wishes I'd never made that deal.

As bad as it sounds, I'm not doing it for my health, I'm not, and I'm

not doing it for anything else apart from I want this to work.

But will Roshelle's love of freedom win over her love of fags?

£8 for a packet of 20 fags, probably last me about a day,

maybe more.

So we'll say eight times 365, that's nearly three grand a year.

Three grand a year. I could have my own place in two years.

While Roshelle is thinking long-term,

Liam is trying to think positive and is taking charge of the money.

£304.55 is what we've got left for all our food and everything

-and that.

-Yeah.

It's not bad, you know. It's quite a healthy...

You got your fine though as well for the ticket, the car parking ticket.

Yeah, not helping, Leah.

Now, after rent, bills and fines they have £280 for the week and,

to make matters worse, Leah's set her heart on a big family get

together, a three-course meal for 12 people.

-I can't believe it.

-It's a whole page just for one meal.

Yeah, but it's like...

It's crazy, all these ingredients.

Just because they're coming round, you can't go crazy on a bloody meal.

I'm not, I'm... I just want to make a nice meal for everybody.

Despairing at Leah's grand plans,

Liam attempts to take charge of the shopping trip.

What about these ones here? They've probably got more in them.

You're not going to need two bags for one cannelloni.

-For... For the amount of people that I'm cooking for? I will.

-Really?

Yeah, trust me.

But Leah isn't scrimping and they spend nearly £180, two thirds

of their total budget, leaving them with just £100 to last the week.

I've never done such a big food shop in my entire life.

So, while Liam and Leah are coming home with the entire supermarket,

Sami and Roshelle are at least keeping their shopping list simple.

Chicken... Well, we love chicken, so anything like chicken burgers,

chicken strips, chicken and all that, so chicken.

How about on Thursday we make a curry for your family and that?

Maybe chicken curry. What do you think, Sami?

I'm asking whether you want it. I don't know what you want.

-I don't...

-You just expect me to do it all.

-I like what you like.

Well, you need to speak up a little bit what you want.

I don't know what you want. I can't read your mind.

And this is Roshelle before she gives up smoking.

I want you to have your own opinion. It's like you're being a yes man.

-No, it's not.

-It is.

-It's not.

-It is.

-It's not.

-I want you to have your own.

Cos I'd say no if I didn't want it.

That's not being a yes man, that's being a no man.

Used to his mum making the decisions,

Sami eventually contributes.

-I need a fag.

-Think I need one, too.

Not content with bickering, they are now competing

and have put a wager on how much they'll spend.

I reckon £87.42.

And I'll say £74.

Whoever's closest, you can be my

slave for the night and bring me every drink when I ask for it.

And if you're right, then I'll bring you every drink tonight.

-OK.

-Deal.

-Deal.

-Shake on that.

And with that, the supermarket challenge begins.

25 quid and we haven't even finished the first aisle yet,

-or got hardly any of that.

-It's bad, isn't it?

With a love of junk food and a barbecue for half a dozen

friends tonight, the trolley fills up and up.

Should have definitely got a bigger trolley, definitely.

So, while Roshelle guessed they'd spend £74...

I hate shopping.

..and Sami £87, the actual total is a little bit higher.

I might just quit, quit smoking tonight actually.

I can't wait another day, it's costing me a fortune.

See, I won the bet, yeah, as I thought I would.

Ha-ha! So, Roshelle's now my slave.

Up in Manchester, Leah is also slaving away,

making the two-hour commute to her job in Essex,

whilst Liam has a nice little breakfast

eating out of a salad bowl...

..followed by a call home.

What can I do for you? What's this call for?

I'm just ringing up for a general, er, chat, that's all.

After all, he hasn't spoken to his dad in hours.

..grass cut. I had to clear up all the dog's mess, didn't I?

They're going to do that. They're dogs, aren't they?

Don't phone or text with anything else for me to do.

I've got enough to do, thank you.

Though, despite appearances, it's also a busy day for Liam.

As Leah's manager, he's lined up a surprise for the end

of the week, Leah's first ever gig in Manchester.

-Hello, nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too.

Do you want to follow me?

I definitely think it's going to be exciting for Leah's

family to see her perform, you know, in her home town.

-Leah will be on stage at nine o'clock.

-Yeah.

She'll have a half an hour set.

I'm really excited about the venue.

I'm excited that Leah's family are able to come and watch her perform.

You know, it's a really classy venue, you know,

and I definitely think she'll be really excited.

While that's still a few days away right now,

Leah is back from work and there's a family meal to think about.

And me being me, I've decided that it'd be a great idea to cook

a three-course dinner.

Hopefully it'll all go smoothly.

And while Leah's taking it all in her stride,

Liam's turned into, well, a total stress monkey.

But, Leah, I'm cleaning bloody bowls with nice stuff

and you're putting onion over this towel.

Leah, I tell you, wash your hands next time.

Don't bloody put them in here.

Liam doesn't tend to handle stress brilliantly.

Things will annoy him and wind him up quite quickly.

Oh, my God.

Leah, that's in your hair.

Where? No, it's not.

Yes, it is, it's in your hair.

I do get stressed about the silliest little things, which

I understand it's pathetic, but I just do.

Hopefully, when we do get our own place, you won't be doing this

three-course meal every bloody day.

So, you've obviously got to learn from this, Leah.

You've obviously got to shut up.

But Liam's biggest cause of anxiety, trying to work out how to

pick up five members of Leah's family when his car only fits four.

Mum, Lee, Cam, Kurt and Brendan.

That's five people, Leah. So, you want me to break the law, do you?

No. You're going to have to ring Camela.

-It's not my problem. You're the one that's sorting out...

-I'm cooking.

You're the one that's arranging all these people to come along, Leah,

but you don't think about the travel, do you?

Why can't you just help me out and call them?

I don't understand what the problem is.

Cos I'm about to have my Crunchy Nut.

Well, a mid-afternoon bowl of cereal is the most important

meal of the day, Leah.

You wanted to hold this dinner, Leah, so sort it.

Shut up, you. Moan, moan, moan.

And now he's finished his Crunchy Nut, Liam's calmed down

and he's happy to pick up Leah's family.

-I'll see you in a bit.

-See you in a bit.

He's not a calm person. He gets very stressed very easy.

He'll be all right once he gets here. I think he's just stressing now,

but once he gets here he'll be absolutely fine.

Though, right now this day isn't getting any better. Oh-oh.

FIRE ALARM BLARES I can't get it to stop.

Losing the will to live.

Hello.

Hello, munchkin.

But somehow Leah manages to have three courses for 12

people all ready to go.

Thankfully the menu's a hit.

It's nice that everyone's enjoying my food, really.

And now even Liam's in a good mood.

-How you liking it in Manchester, Liam, anyway?

-It's rubbish.

Rubbish?

How dare you say that?

I said it, deal with it. No, it's, it's good. It's good.

-Thinking of moving back up then, are you?

-Not yet.

-Not yet.

-Never say never.

After such a nice family day, Leah's even more aware of what

she gave up for Liam.

I mean, I left everyone in my home to come with you,

it weren't a guarantee. You weren't safe.

Yeah, but you... No, not at all, but you was young and

you were the one that suggested it that, you know, that they

should make the effort. That's in my... That's my opinion.

And it's give, give, give from the girls all round as Roshelle

is Sami's slave for the night, thanks to the shopping bet.

Can you get me a drink cos, you know, you're my servant and all that?

Yeah, OK.

-I'll have a Strongbow, please.

-Do you want a glass?

Yeah, with ice.

-Thank you.

-Enjoy.

Like Leah and Liam, they are keen to play host

in their very own home.

And while Sami's relishing his role as man of the house...

Roshelle, where's my drink? Can you grab it for me, please?

-Where is it?

-Should be inside somewhere.

They're both loving their freedom.

-Here you go.

-Thank you.

Feels really good to be the host of our own party.

It's just, feel that sense of, accomplishment,

but you just don't want things to go wrong, do you?

-Sense of independency though, isn't it?

-As well, yeah.

The only downside at playing host has put a serious

dent in their budget.

It's been a very expensive day today - we spent £120 on food.

Another £20 on drinks and ice.

-And stuff like that.

-But...

-it's definitely been worth it, would you say?

-Yeah, definitely.

But with just £20 left for the rest of the week,

they might find the good times stop here.

And in Manchester, Leah is relishing her road test, too.

In fact, the only person who's homesick is Liam.

So, he's going to drive 200 miles just to drop his fiancee at work.

Love you loads.

Oh, and while he's here...

It's nice to see my dad and that. You know, I love my dad a lot,

do you know what I mean?

And I'm always with him, so it feels weird

to be without him, so it'll be nice.

But what Liam doesn't know is Bill has been keeping his eye on him.

There's no TV.

I always thought I wanted to live back in Manchester.

It just makes it harder when I see my family.

She's done it. Why don't he do it for a few years

while they're still young? Got no kids or anything.

Give it a try and decide what they're going to do.

Nice thought, but right now Liam can't even last four days

without seeing his dad.

You all right, Dad?

-Hello, Liam, you all right?

-Yeah, you all right?

And he clearly can't use a washing machine.

Oh, I thought...

Give you something to do cos I know you ain't been doing much.

Oh, I thought perhaps you'd brought me a present.

The biggest gift Liam could give his dad is an empty house,

but is there any chance of that happening?

What are your early thoughts about...?

What, being up Manchester?

Perhaps buying one in Manchester,

knowing that they're going to be a lot cheaper anyway?

-I still would prefer to live down here.

-Yeah.

I think he worries so much about me that, you know,

if I was to say, "Look, Liam, I'll move to Manchester."

I'm sure he'd say, "Oh, come on then, Dad, let's give it a go."

While Liam contemplates life away from his dad...

..Roshelle and Sami are facing life away from Sami's parents,

and look what happens.

They threw a party, the flat's a tip and there are two extra bodies.

While Sami takes the last 20 quid to buy washing-up liquid

and Roshelle's last ever packet of cigarettes, she's cooking breakfast.

I feel like crap, if I'm honest, and I can't be bothered doing

nothing today.

And I don't even want to clean.

Have you seen the massive pile of stuff we've got to clean?

Yeah, we have. Er, good job Sami's back with the washing-up powder.

Why did you buy that?

I didn't ask for that. I asked for washing-up liquid.

I can get it back. I've got the receipt.

I asked you to go and get washing-up liquid, babe, and some fags,

and you came back with detergent for the washing machine.

I didn't think we had any and it was on offer, so...

-We've got some, babe.

-I know.

Every time I ask you to go and get something,

-you get the opposite thing.

-I'll be back, don't worry.

Right, just keep that. Sami, no. Keep it cos, if it's on offer,

just keep it for stock. But can you just, next time, can you just,

what I ask you to get, will you just get?

We're on a tight budget. You can't go,

"Oh, cos it's on offer we'll just grab it."

After the barbecue and Sami's shopping,

the budget is almost gone, which is not helping Roshelle's mood.

I don't help cos I'm hungover and tired, and I'm stressing out

because I don't know how the oven works and I need a fag.

But it's not the point. He shouldn't have brought detergent back

cos now we're £3 down, £3 towards fags, and he moans at me.

Eventually, breakfast is served.

There you go.

And Roshelle has her fags, but the overspending doesn't end there...

..as today marks Sami and Roshelle's annual visit

to The Bristol Balloon Festival.

I want some of this.

Look how amazing they look.

And before long they've parted company with another 40 quid.

I'm a happy man now. I've got my food and I'm ready to go.

Which means they've now blown the budget

and are actually spending the bills money.

-Is that nice?

-Oh, God, heavenly.

I'm going to get another one. Joke.

Though, right now, Roshelle's got bigger things on her mind.

-Is that your last one?

-Yeah.

Oh, I don't want to. No, I've got to.

Roshelle's biggest concern,

the impact giving up will have on the relationship.

Don't want to stop smoking because, um, I get stressed dead easy,

like all night I am quite an angry bird.

You are an angry bird.

And what happens if I don't have a fag in the morning?

You're narky.

So that's why I don't want to cos I don't want me

and him to fall out because of it.

But given the £3,000 a year they're about to save,

Roshelle's hoping this is a gamble worth taking.

Yay!

There we go, that's it.

Back in Manchester and Liam's got money on his mind, too.

If he's to make this move permanent, he'll need a job.

-Come on in.

-Hello, you all right?

-Liam, is it? Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, too.

I'm Julie. I'm the Assistant Manager here.

-So, well, thank you for coming to spend the day with us.

-It's OK.

Keen to continue his work as a carer,

he's volunteering at a local day centre for the elderly,

although the job description is a bit different.

-I think this afternoon we're going to be playing bingo...

-Ah, lovely, yeah.

-..so you can get involved in that if you like.

-I'll try my best, yeah.

And that's just one of Liam's responsibilities...

Seven and five, 75.

-..as well as being a bingo caller...

-Two and six, 26.

Bingo.

..he needs to be a waiter...

I reckon that's for me and, er, this is for them.

-..friend...

-We'd make a perfect one, wouldn't we?

..and most important of all...

-It's a nice slow one for you this, Liam.

-..dance coach.

MUSIC: "Jump Around" by House of Pain

Let's hear it for Liam and Margaret, everybody.

Yay!

By day's end Liam not only has the moves,

he might just have a job as well.

I've already been told by the boss that, um, there's a few,

there's a couple of people leaving, so she said,

"If you move up, there could be a place for you."

He's just taken to it like a duck to water.

I just think he's got a really nice way with the clients,

the way he talks to them.

He's got a very gentle approach, hasn't he?

Definitely a place I would consider maybe if

I moved up to Manchester and that, so you never know.

With life in Manchester looking up, Liam also wants to do

something special for Leah, so he's organised her first ever

singing gig outside of Essex and her family are all on the VIP list.

It'd mean loads for Leah's family to be there, you know, and it would

mean a lot for Leah to have her family there to watch her perform.

Needless to say, Mum, Dad and Leah's sisters are out in force.

This one's dedicated to my mum. This is one of her favourite songs.

SHE SINGS A BALLAD

It's so good to see Leah up north again,

just to see her on her home turf. It's really good,

especially with her family round her as well. Brilliant, yeah.

Really proud and thinking I wish I could see her more, really.

It's a bit of an emotional experience, you know.

You think how much that she's grown up and watching her sisters like

getting all tearful, you know, it's like pretty sweet really, you know.

Thank you.

For Leah, tonight has shown her Manchester offers not only

her family, but it could advance her singing career as well...

Amazing. Oh.

You were brilliant.

Thank you.

..making her desire to live here stronger by the day.

But while Leah is sprouting roots in Manchester,

in Bristol, Roshelle is sprouting horns.

You lied to me.

She's been off the fags for a day and Sami's feeling the wrath.

Their latest barney, Sami said the gas for the barbecue was 40 quid

when in fact it cost 50 quid.

I would've said no.

-It's a barbecue.

-50 quid?

While it's possible Roshelle is over-reacting...

Don't ever buy things without my permission now.

..their budget is in crisis

and they've now spent nearly all of their bill money.

The bigger picture is about the money, and the budget and stuff.

That's what I really got pissy about

cos I want this to work, I want to prove to people we can do it.

This week's been expensive without us

splashing out on things we didn't need.

She asked me to go out and get gas,

so there's no way I was coming back without gas.

What happens if a big bill comes out and he lies to me

cos he doesn't want to tell me?

But it turns out Roshelle has more on her mind than barbecue gas...

..because the next day is her entrance test for the Royal Navy.

Sami, will you make me some breakfast, please?

What do you want?

Poached egg on toast, sausage and beans, like the tin,

on warm bread.

In a bid to keep Roshelle happy, today Sami attempts

his first ever poached egg.

Never done this, so hoping for the best.

How do you tell when they're ready?

I have no clue.

It was about five minutes ago.

-Roshelle...

-What?

Have I done it wrong?

But that's all right, looks like an egg.

Sami scores zero on the boyfriend scale.

Can't believe that I've got to make my own breakfast on the day

of my Navy test.

I don't even want a poached egg now.

Don't laugh at me.

Did you do it wrong as well?

So she ditches the eggs to get ready.

Sami's left wondering what just happened.

Yeah, I was trying to be helpful by cooking her a nice breakfast but

obviously that went a bit wrong, but the thought of me trying to

do it for her should be enough for her to realise that I do do a lot.

Cos I asked you whether you wanted to do the washing up or the cooking.

I'm saying you won't say thank you for doing it or anything.

I always say thank you and give you a kiss, you liar.

No, what I'm saying is you don't recognise me doing this.

Yeah, I do, all the time.

It's more like you don't recognise me when I do the things.

I say thank you every single time.

You don't recognise it when I cook you dinner

and then make you lunch.

Even though Roshelle's being a little calmer

by the time she heads out the door...

-Yeah, right, I'll see you later.

-See you laters, have fun.

-Yeah.

..she's far from being in a positive frame of mind.

Feeling very nervous and like I really need a cigarette,

a strong one, and a drink.

Bit worried, to be honest, I don't want to fail.

For Roshelle, getting into the Navy

has been an ambition since childhood.

Take a seat.

And coming from a military family,

she wants to carry on that tradition.

Roshelle Clark, please, come on in.

So now she's feeling the pressure as her future in the military

all hangs on just one exam.

If you are not sure of an answer,

mark the choice that is your best guess.

Turn over the page of your question books and begin now.

Meanwhile, Sami's decided he wants everything to be perfect for when

Roshelle gets back.

Yeah, giving it a little brush

to make it look a little bit better.

And the dog doesn't like it.

Not only is he cleaning for the first time,

he's also trying cooking again, keeping it simple this time.

Oven-cooked in ten minutes, that'll do me.

And when Roshelle gets home with her results,

Sami and the dog are waiting faithfully at the door.

Hello!

How did you do, then?

-I failed.

-Did you?

-Yeah, I did, I actually failed.

-When can you do it next?

12 months' time from today.

No, I am gutted but what can you do?

There's no point dwelling over it.

Oh, well.

After such a horrible day,

Roshelle decides to give herself a little treat.

Don't do it. She's done it.

Ah...

Come and give me a cuddle.

While Sami comforts his girlfriend,

back in Manchester, Liam is blaming his for wasting their money.

Oh, you ain't gone and left the bananas in the fridge?

Ugh! Think they need chucking, don't they?

-Yeah, I think so, Leah.

-Yeah, all right.

With two days still to go, their budget is almost gone

and Leah's expensive family lunch is coming back to haunt her.

See, Leah, a bloody waste of money.

The only thing that's rotten is the fruit and that is Leah's fault

because she knows full well that she said to me at the start,

"Get loads of fruit because I'll be having it for every breakfast",

and the only time she's had fruit for breakfast is none of them days.

I've had it today.

So Liam decides to take charge.

Out of £304.55 we will be left with £36.40.

Right, OK.

But, after a second count...

Has someone stolen £20?

..the situation's even worse than he thought.

I'm being serious.

-Sure you ain't taken it?

-I haven't taken any bloody money.

You sure?

-I'm being serious.

-Why would you ask me that?

As if I'm going to steal from ourselves.

I'm just asking you, Leah.

-You're unbelievable sometimes.

-I'm not.

-You are.

I just want to calculate all this again before I do anything.

After counting a third time it turns out Liam's the one at fault,

the money's all there,

but they only have 20 quid to last the rest of the week.

Well, that's basically what we've got left,

so that's it, that's everything's paid for.

That is, there's a couple of quid missing and that,

but I think that's probably cos of all the confusion and that.

"Sorry, Leah."

Sorry for what? I never actually accused you.

-Well, pretty much.

-I didn't accuse you though, did I?

While money troubles are causing real tension between Liam and Leah,

in Bristol, Roshelle is trying to put her disappointment about the Navy behind her.

Everything I always do always seems to go wrong,

so I just want it to go right tonight.

It's her and Sami's last night in the flat

and Sami's parents are coming for dinner.

I just want it to be a nice evening and I want me to deal with

the cooking and everyone else just have a nice evening.

But with Roshelle desperate to impress,

once again there's a wee bit of tension.

I've just put them there for a reason,

so now you just took them all off, do you see what I mean?

Well, they're not staying on there.

Yes, they are, I've just sat down on them and they feel a lot more comfy.

Why didn't you ask me? "They're not staying there."

Why didn't you say, "Babe, why have you put them there?"

There's things about... There's ways of going around things Sami.

-Whatever.

-Don't speak to me like that.

-I'm just saying "whatever".

Yeah, well don't speak to me like that.

With her guests due in a few minutes, Roshelle's only getting more stressed.

And now one of her brand-new bread plates is missing.

We had four, Sami.

You're telling me this,

I don't have a clue where it is, that's why I'm looking for it.

We definitely had four.

-It's not funny.

-It's not in the fridge.

The whole point of buying this nice dinner set was for your mum.

With Roshelle at boiling point, it is Sami to the rescue.

Not only does he help with the cooking...

-It's OK, don't cry.

-Don't, you've been cutting onions

and you've just put your fingers on my face.

..he also makes a quick dash to the shops in order to

help his girlfriend feel a little calmer.

Yeah, Roshelle's quite stressed, on edge, she's had a...

She's got a pack of fags so hopefully that should calm her down.

So with Sami and Roshelle now working as a team...

That'll do, that's enough onions.

..by the time Theresa and Said arrive...

We having an Indian night tonight, are we?

-Maybe, yeah.

-Ooh, very nice!

..dinner looks like it might just be a success after all.

What you going to score me then, for my starter?

-Oh, ten of course.

-Ah, thanks, Said.

Very strange, actually, to see him doing the washing up

and tidying because it's obviously something he's never really done,

cos we've always done it for him.

But, yeah, it feels really weird, sat here doing nothing

while they're in the kitchen tidying everything up!

It's our turn to do nothing.

Yeah, that's right, that's a novelty, isn't it, for us?

I think it was important to make a big effort for Sami's parents

coming round and, like, first impressions -

they always cook for us, so it's nice to kind of repay the favour.

With decision day tomorrow, was tonight a thanks and goodbye,

or will they be going back home to the Hotel of Mum and Dad?

It's decision day for Liam and Leah, too,

so for one night only Liam is throwing caution to the wind.

We have taken some money from our bills,

cos we were actually going past our budget.

We thought, you know, it's our last night so we need

a couple of drinks to sort of finish off the good time that we've had in Manchester.

We want to out with a bang, really.

We're not going to go mad, we're just going to have a few drinks,

a little catch-up with my friend.

As for the bigger issue of Manchester versus Essex,

even now Liam and Leah aren't quite on the same page.

I mean, he does like Manchester as a city, you know,

he loves the people, the atmosphere, but I don't know

if he's quite ready to make the...the jump yet.

With less than 24 hours to convince Liam,

maybe Manchester's vibrant nightlife will sway his opinion?

It's fun, innit, coming down here and that? I like it down here.

-We have come here at the start of our budget.

-Mm.

HE CHUCKLES

And splashed out then instead of spending £195 on that food we did.

Come on, Liam, let it go. But at least they've had a good night out

and now Leah's more convinced than ever that

Manchester could be home for them both.

This week's proved that we don't need Essex to do the things that we do.

No, no, that's right.

So that is one good thing that I have learnt.

it's opened my mind a bit to kind of think, "OK, perhaps

"it's not going to be as hard as I thought it would initially be."

There's never a dull day in Manchester, is there, really?

No, definitely.

The next morning it's decision time and while the couple are en route

to Essex, Bill's having one last look at what they've been up to.

Two and eight, 28.

That's Liam at his best and he genuinely enjoys it, I mean

you could see he wasn't just doing it, he was doing it and enjoying it.

Don't know if he'll ever make a bingo caller but, you know...!

And it's the moment of truth for Bill, Liam and Leah.

To be, be honest, I didn't miss you.

-You didn't?

-No.

No, I didn't miss you, but then you didn't miss me.

Yeah, course I did.

Looks like daddy's boy Liam is still struggling to cut the apron strings.

I don't think that we would be half as stuck as we thought

we would be in Manchester.

It's not the stuck, we never thought we'd be stuck,

it's just that cos we do so much down here for Leah's music

and the people we know, it's hard to sort of go away from it all.

Well, it isn't though.

Being in Manchester, I mean I don't know the scene up there,

but would she not have perhaps a few more opportunities anyway?

I don't think it's easier.

With it being a city,

I do think that there's probably a lot more than we know about.

I think you should give it a try in Manchester.

I mean, you've proved that it could work.

It's just you know what I'm like, I'm quite scared of a lot

of things like that, when it comes to making different choices,

but sometimes I do take that little bit more of a risk.

You know, that's why I've probably opened myself up to

maybe considering one day, if I do, you know, to move up Manchester.

But, you know, I'm just really not sure.

But, although Manchester is too big a leap,

something a little closer to home might be on the cards.

Now we've experienced, obviously, moving out for the week,

it's helped us decide that we do want to move out.

We're going to start looking at the start of next year

and give it the rest of this year to...

-But you're going to stay in Essex?

-Just somewhere close by, maybe.

The best advice I can give you is do what you feel is right

and whatever that is, I'll support you.

Every little thing we have done I've enjoyed because it's all

experience and I'm willing to take on more experience each time,

you know, to make maybe, possibly, our life better together and

make sure that we, we take our time to make them decisions together.

I think the experience has been incredible,

I've really enjoyed myself, and I just think that...

I just think it's been, sort of, an eye-opener really to all of us.

Though for Leah, leaving behind her family in Manchester

for the second time proves too much

and a month later she's decided to return home, this time without Liam.

Unfortunately, myself and Liam have decided to separate.

We both just saw things from different views.

It's a sad thing that's happened and that,

but it's just a few things that we weren't agreeing on.

We've realised that it is not going to work long-term,

so I'm back in Manchester and Liam's staying in Essex for now.

It is devastating and that, you know,

because I've grown up with Leah since the age of 16,

you know, so it is a very upsetting thing.

But, you know, if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be.

Who knows, you know, maybe one day we can be friends

and it'll all be nice and amicable.

So, that's one couple who, sadly, won't be moving in together.

But what does the future hold for Sami and Roshelle?

Like Liam and Leah they also struggled with their budget.

Food, we estimated 50 quid, but we spent about 160 quid

because we hosted a barbecue and a curry night.

Mm. So yeah, we have gone a bit overboard.

Yeah, you have. Just a bit(!)

After a few days, their money was gone

and now they are 140 quid over budget.

That's what this is about, this is about learning

and what we can and cannot spend it on, really.

What they SHOULDN'T spend it on is a day out,

but they go anyway to think through their decisions.

Overall, I'd give the week a ten out of ten - it's been great for me.

Yeah, no, I'd agree, definitely.

I'm definitely proud of Sami, he's achieved everything this week

that he thought he would never be able to do.

Being a mummy's boy and all that.

And Roshelle's also had a breakthrough.

Oh, it's definitely been an eye-opener for me,

realising how I react on small things, but to me it's not

being nasty, it's the way...the way I am. I suppose it's in my genes.

It's cos you're slightly Scouse.

And he understands that but no-one else understands that.

I can't help it. But I def... I definitely need to work on it.

Yeah, you do. I'm joking!

While Sami and Roshelle mull things over, Theresa and Said are seeing how their boy has coped.

He's doing the washing, that's a first, innit?

Have you ever seen him using the washing machine?

-Definitely the first time.

-Yeah, never seen that in my life.

Didn't know he had that in him, did you?

It's a miracle.

So, now it's the moment of truth.

Has Roshelle persuaded this mummy's boy to become an independent man?

All right, guys? How you doing, all right?

-Yeah.

-Good, the week's been going good.

A few challenges arised, but we just laughed at the end, didn't we?

-Yeah.

-And it was just like...

So, Mum, have you missed me or not this week?

Yeah, we've really... I've really missed you,

the house is too quiet, you know, there's not as much

life in it any more, you know, hearing you fighting and giggling.

But you've really surprised me, you've just both made

yourself a lovely home and I really am really, really chuffed with you.

All right, guys, what's your decision now?

We've had a long, a real long talk about it and, er...

We had a massive talk yesterday about everything,

like, finance-wise and how our relationship's getting on

and stuff like that and more just, like, looking towards the future.

Yeah. We've made a decision of...

-What's your decision?

-You tell them.

-You tell them, you tell them.

-Yeah, we're going to stay in the flat

and we're going to keep going as we are.

And we're just going to see, I'm go...going full-time next week.

So that'll be more money coming in and...

Well, as long you know that you can do it,

then good luck to both of you.

Thank you.

Good luck, guys.

And, and Roshelle's pregnant as well.

-Ah, no.

-What?

-Stop it.

-One nil!

ALL LAUGH

No more, like, attitude or being so fiery as I am and just

laughing things off stop taking things too serious.

I'm very proud of them.

They've done well and the decision is the right decision.

I am definitely excited, I don't know about you.

I am really excited, you know? It's the start of our future,

-it's the start of our life together, really.

-Yeah, can't wait.

Even though we've lived together for two years already,

-it's just a new part in our life.

-Yeah.

Hopefully a new me, so that'll be nice.

Next time on Hotel of Mum and Dad, we meet eating machine Isaac

and pampered princess Christie.

I'm pretty much an addict when it comes to food.

They've got big dreams of city life,

but do they have the big budget to match?

I'm just saying we need more money...

-We don't have more money.

-..for food.

And Laura and Lee, who live the life of Riley.

-We have our own gym here.

-It is like living in luxury, really.

How will they cope out in the real world?

-There's 13 boys coming round.

-That room is going to stink when I go in there in the morning.

My dad does see me like I'm still this petulant child.

Will you listen?! Don't say a word, don't say a word.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd