Bishop Family Wanted Down Under

Deciding to move your family halfway around the world

isn't just about where you want to live.

It's also about how you want to live.

And facing that choice can be a huge strain,

especially if your dreams are very different.

Stephen Bishop is desperate for a new life in Australia.

It's made her realise just how unhappy I am.

But his wife Elissa can't bear the idea of abandoning her home and business.

I'll lose everything I've worked for since 14-years-old.

And Australia will throw up some big disappointments.

I'm completely gutted, hugely disappointed.

Do you not get this?

Another blow to MY dream, certainly.

Australia is the most popular country for Brits moving abroad.

They may be tempted by its golden beaches,

sunny climate and famous relaxed lifestyle.

But leaving behind everything and everyone you know

can turn a simple dream into the hardest challenge of your life.

Over the next seven days, the Bishops will get to experience

the reality of living in Australia.

At the end of it they'll face a life-changing decision -

whether to stay in the UK, or to make the move for good.

After a truly mammoth journey involving four flights,

the Bishops are finally in Australia.

It's three days' travelling to get here.

-But it's going to be worth it, right?

-Yeah.

I hope.

This is the make or break, biggest decision of our lives.

Life-changing stuff. Be a terrible shame to get it all wrong.

In the UK, the Bishops live on the windswept

Shetland Isles, far off the coast of Scotland.

The family are Elissa, aged 32, hubby Stephen,

who's 28, and three-year-old daughter Maddy.

Stephen works as a maintenance engineer at an oil terminal

and Elissa owns a livery business.

After a long honeymoon to Australia in 2005,

Stephen really fell for the possibility of a new life down under.

When I got back I had the feeling it might have been a mistake to come back,

and can't seem to shake that feeling.

He would say, "Elissa, I can't get Australia out of my head.

"I really want to go, I want to make a go of it."

Due to a decline in the Shetland fishing industry,

Stephen works at an oil terminal.

He hopes Australia could be the chance to get back to the job he loves.

I'm a qualified marine engineer,

and I'd like to try and get my skills back.

I feel I've lost a lot of my skills working at the oil terminal.

Also, Stephen longs for a more outdoor lifestyle with his family -

something he can't really enjoy in the Shetlands.

The weather here in Shetland,

it really gets me down and makes me very miserable.

It can often be a very long winter -

dark and windy,

very wet and pretty cold most of the time.

It's like that for five months, six months in a year.

His Australian-born wife Elissa moved to Shetland from Melbourne

when she was eight.

Unfortunately for Stephen, she feels very differently about the Shetlands.

I love my life here. I have my dream,

I have everything around me that I could ever have dreamt of.

Shetland is a place

that you'll never find anywhere else. It's amazing.

You have one end of Shetland that's flat and green,

and the other end is massive cliffs and hills,

and you can see for miles.

Shetland is freedom.

1, 2, 3...

go!

Elissa has built up her livery business from scratch,

and the idea of giving it up seems unthinkable.

It's taken me so long to build up this business

and so long to have my dream.

I've had the dream of this since I was little,

and to sell this up would completely break my heart.

There's no two ways about that at all.

I love this place to pieces and I can't imagine being without it.

And there's another problem which is even harder to contemplate...

leaving her mum behind.

We talk nearly every day on the phone. I love her to pieces.

She's all I have. I don't have a granny and grandad.

You know, we don't have a big family network

on my side. I only have my mum and my stepdad,

so it really almost scares me

to think that I wouldn't have her there.

However, Stephen's desire for a new life down under has them divided.

It's on our minds the whole time.

We argue about it.

It's made her realise, I think, that...

just how unhappy I am,

and that there is potential for both

to have what we want out in Australia.

He really wants to go out there.

He wants to further his career.

He wants to have more family time, do more outdoor things,

let Maddy experience the world more,

which is all amazing things, but,

is he still in holiday mode from our honeymoon,

or is he really thinking that would be our lives?

They've decided to give Australia a try.

They have a week to decide where their future lies.

It's a decision that could leave one of them heartbroken.

You have to come together to make each other happy, don't you?

One of us is going to have to give up our dream.

It's a big, big problem.

It's a huge dilemma.

Stephen and Elissa both want

the best possible future for their family.

They simply can't agree where it should be.

With so much riding on their choice, it's a big week ahead.

Home for the week is the Queensland countryside.

It should offer plenty of open spaces,

with Brisbane and beaches nearby for the family to enjoy

Australian living. But will the reality measure up?

It's a 50-mile drive to the heart of the Tamborine Mountain area,

to their base for the week.

Like their Shetland home,

it's quiet and rural,

but with one big difference.

-The trees!

-Look!

Wowee.

It's got more trees than back home, doesn't it, Maddy?

There's no trees back home.

If they're impressed by the trees,

hopefully they'll also be happy with the property.

It's a two-bedroom country style cottage.

Oh, woodburner.

-It's nice.

-I like that.

Barbecue area.

-You like having barbecue, don't you?

-Mm-hm.

-This is so not like our house back home, is it?

-Mm-hm.

It's all different! Do you like it, though?

Look at...down there.

What's he saying? Shall we see how close we can get?

BIRD SQUAWKS

Oh! Where's he gone?

The travelling and excitement have caught up with Maddy.

So while she takes a nap,

Stephen and Elissa get to reflect on the challenging days ahead.

I'm hoping this week can answer a lot of questions I've got.

Whether this is the right move.

You might not even like it by the end of the week.

I had this vision in my head for that long.

It might not be what I've been planning it to be.

I hope that's not true.

It's going to be seven tough days, and the enormity of

what they are taking on is dawning on Elissa.

I think the decision has to be made with a 100%,

so this week really is a massive, massive thing

and we really have to make a lot of tough decisions.

-Some I don't think we're even ready for.

-Mmm.

Now we're here, it's really daunting.

For most families moving down under, finding the right house

in the right area is no easy matter,

but for the Bishops, finding a property

that meets their unique requirements could be quite a challenge.

Back in the UK, the Bishops live in a two-bedroom cottage

in Whiteness on the Shetlands. It also has over 50 acres of land

that Elissa uses for her horse-riding business.

When it comes to their ideal house in Australia,

there is a slight difference in what each of them wants.

Somewhere I can see the sea. That's a big thing for me.

Seeing the sea doesn't bother me.

I almost have an image of not seeing it.

For me, the land isn't such a big issue.

My ideal would be about 50 acres of land.

Cos really, what we have here is absolutely perfect for horses.

You have to find that out there.

-It's at the top of the list.

-Awww.

Well, maybe second from the top.

I can see this is not going to be easy.

Especially as it's Stephen who's driving this move.

They bought their house for £255,000.

If they can get a good price for it,

and Elissa's livery business,

they could have a budget of around 400,000.

However, house prices in Australia have risen,

while those in the UK have dropped, so can they afford an ideal home?

Today, we're giving them a taste

of Queensland's rural property market.

We'll show them three options that should give them an idea

of what they want and what they can afford.

After they've seen each house,

we'll reveal to the Bishops how much they cost.

Their search starts in the Guanaba area.

The open countryside and forests are popular

with horse riders, and being only

15 minutes' drive from the Gold Coast Marina,

will also be great for Stephen's work.

First is a large three-bedroom house

with three acres of garden

and outbuildings which should suit everyone.

Oh, wow.

This is nice.

Oh, look at the big stove.

And look at where the wine goes!

This is my kind of place.

That is a great start.

This'll just be the living area here, eh?

Oh, look. This could be Maddy's bedroom.

Decent-sized room, though.

It is, yeah.

-This is nice. It feels really cool in here, which is good.

-Mm-hm.

-The whole house feels like that.

-Yeah.

En suite.

-Not got an en suite back home, eh?

-No.

We wanted one.

I like it.

Elissa's positivity is great news for Stephen's dream.

Will she be so upbeat about the outside, though?

I could imagine sitting out here, eh? Glass of wine...

-Big garden.

-It is a big garden.

Very private here.

I think the house is pretty much perfect

-for us living.

-Big outdoor living area.

-Yeah.

-It's nice, it's good.

But there's not enough usable land for the horses.

Cos I have 52 acres of usable land back home.

Maybe the price will make up for the lack of land.

The house certainly impressed both Elissa and Stephen.

However, the shortage of grazing has dampened Elissa's enthusiasm.

Time to find out the price.

Go on, then.

Oh!

Holy moly. I thought that was Australian dollars.

-That's totally out of our price range.

-It is a bit, yeah.

-And it's not got the land that we need.

-No. It's a shame.

That is a shock, considering we're quite far out.

I didn't expect it to be as much as that.

Set our sights a bit lower, perhaps.

There's no land for the horses!

You can't get any lower than... isn't the land.

I ain't going to settle for keeping a goat.

This house is more than £30,000 over their budget.

If everything hinges on Elissa's passion for horses,

could they struggle to find a house with enough land?

The second house is in the Piggabeen area,

a short drive from some of the region's best beaches.

Set in open countryside,

it should have something for both Stephen and Elissa.

This four bedroom house has lots of land, but something else has caught Elissa's eye.

Going to have a look at the stables?

Priorities first.

It's now a workshop, but it could be converted back, no problem.

It's more...

I don't know.

The sun's going on my face. I want this down.

The sun's in your face? Well, welcome to Australia!

You're not used to it, eh?

Right, shall we go up and have a look at the house, then?

Ah yes, the house.

Hopefully this will be a useful addition to the stables.

Another woodburning stove.

I'm liking this house better. I've got a better feel about it.

It's bigger.

I like the kitchen.

The living area's a hit.

Can the bedroom keep up with their expectations?

Bedroom. Nice size.

This is like our one back home, eh?

-Yeah, this is a better size.

-En suite.

This is nice.

It's all going down very well so far.

Outside there's another feature

that could seal the deal.

-Look at that.

-Put your feet in.

Ooh, it's cold!

-Is it cold?

-Yeah.

Put your feet back in.

-Is that nice?

-Ooh!

-Would you like to have your own swimming pool in the garden?

-Yeah.

Cos you love swimming. You could come out here every day and swim.

I like it.

Way better than the other one.

I like the other house better, I think, but I like

this location a bit more.

And to top it all off, there's five acres of land.

But will it be enough for her needs?

Could keep your ponies up here.

We'd easy keep two horses on this.

That would do.

You could flatten this area out and put in your own sand arena here.

This could be the riding area.

Elissa's certainly racing ahead with what she could do here,

but she doesn't know the price.

Will this much land and a pool put it beyond their budget

or is Stephen's dream within their reach?

What does this house cost?

-Are you going to do the honours?

-Let's have a look.

Oh, OK.

Not too bad.

I thought, yeah, it's cheaper than the other one.

That's just slightly over their budget of £400,000.

-Do you think it's doable?

-Could be.

I'm just not so sure on the actual house itself,

unfortunately.

We just have such different tastes.

What's Stephen playing at?

If he wants to convince Elissa their future lies in Australia,

can he really afford to be so picky about a house that she would be happy with?

Everything rests on property three.

It's in an area of Wongawallan, between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

It's an up-and-coming part of Queensland,

meaning they should be able to get a little bit more for their money here.

It's a new Queenslander-style house with four bedrooms

and there's a welcome sight waiting for the family.

Come on, then.

Hello!

-There you go.

-Is it good to see a horse again?

You miss them.

That means there should be enough land for Elissa to keep horses.

Can the house convince as well?

This is nice.

Really quite new, isn't it?

Nice and light and airy in here too.

Elissa seems to feel at home,

and downstairs there's a room she likes even more.

Look! This is nice.

It's quite suited for a granny, eh?

Although Stephen has his own ideas.

Maybe even Dad's TV room! What do you think?

With time to reflect, Elissa and Stephen are both in agreement.

It is stunning. Out of the three,

this house, I think, is my favourite.

It's only three acres but... fit a couple of horses on that.

It's a lovely spot for sure.

It's beautiful. It's the first house that

-we've actually agreed on, isn't it?

-Yeah.

But what about the price? Can they afford it,

or will this house have to stay a dream home?

(SHE LAUGHS) It's the cheapest.

£350,000. That's good. 575.

-Surprising.

-I thought it'd be a lot more.

-I did.

I'm happy with that.

-Nice area, nice house.

-Mm-hm.

-Terrific views.

Amazing views.

Horses right out there. What do you think, Maddy? Do you like it?

-No-o-o.

-No?

Oh, dear.

At least Mum and Dad agree on the property.

But there's still some uncertainty.

-I'd say it was achievable at this price.

-It would depend.

-Depends on how much our house is valued at back home.

-Yeah.

But... I mean...

-I'm hoping not to get far off that back home, eh?

-Yeah.

So affording a house they'd be happy with

rests on what they can get for their UK home.

It's been an eye-opening day.

The first house didn't have the land that Elissa wants

and the price was way out of range.

The second seemed to have it all with its pool and grounds,

but failed to excite Stephen.

The final house hit the spot

with both, with enough space for all their needs

and just within their budget.

So how will they vote?

OK.

Well, today's been an eventful day.

Based on the properties we've seen, we're going to vote.

UK.

Australia.

That is a surprise.

Elissa seemed so positive about the houses she saw.

Why did she vote for the UK?

I do love that last property, don't get me wrong.

If we were definitely moving to Australia, I'd go for that one.

But we've got so much more back home for our money.

So much land.

The arena, stables, sheds.

When I'm weighing up the two, it's definitely the UK for me. Home.

That's a huge setback for Stephen.

If Elissa can't think of giving up her UK home,

even for an ideal property,

is there any way Stephen can convince her to move to Australia?

It's a mixed start for the Bishops.

Property in Oz did interest Elissa,

but also reminded her what she'd be giving up at home.

For Stephen, though, the real gain down under could be

sharing a better family lifestyle.

Today they're on a trip to Mount Tamborine National Park.

Set in 100 square kilometres of stunning countryside,

it should give them a rare chance to spend a day together,

and to get some thinking time.

See down there? Look.

Really high!

Really high.

It's nice to get out

into the rainforest with Maddy and have a look around.

I can't even remember when the last time was

we spent a day out as a family together.

This is really nice.

Something that doesn't happen very often back home.

-Go!

-That way?

-Yeah.

-OK, let's go.

This rare trip out as a family has certainly got someone excited.

She's loving it.

She's off.

Wait for us, Maddy!

You wait there, you.

(ELISSA LAUGHS)

Don't chase her! She'll be off.

And Stephen is remembering why he wants to move down under.

I just love everything about Australia.

I feel really at home here. Love the sunshine.

Can't really describe how it makes me feel, being out here.

It almost makes me feel more alive.

I'm absolutely in love with the place.

Even Elissa can see the appeal too.

It is really lovely. The weather's on our side and

you don't get anything like this back home.

After a gentle stroll, it's time for something more thrilling.

Oh, look, the trees are going to be over the top of us here.

Look up.

-Go on.

-Are you frightened?

Is it kind of scary? You want to hold Dad's hand?

Whoa.

Look how high up we are.

-(MADDY GASPS)

-Holy moly!

Holy moly!

That's like a swimming pool down there.

-Is it like a swimming pool?

-Mm-hm.

Today is showing Stephen

exactly the future he wants.

Coming here, I think it'll make us all

just that bit happier as a family

and I think it would make me a bit easier to get on with

if I was a bit happier in my life.

So, yeah. I think it could be life-changing

and I need to prove that to Elissa.

But proving it to Elissa could be easier said than done.

This is amazing, don't get me wrong.

But in reality, if you were living here

working a 48-hour week,

would you be going somewhere every single weekend?

You know, how much of this would we actually do?

I don't know if it's enough to sway me to move here, you know?

To give everything up.

Has the day together convinced Elissa

of the benefits of the Aussie lifestyle?

Time to vote.

Based on the activities we've done here in Australia as a family,

we're going to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia.

That's good.

That's purely because we get more family time out here.

-Usable family time, with the weather.

-Without...yeah.

Being outside, and there's more activities to do

for the three of us, that are mutual.

That's another surprise vote

from Elissa, but it is good news for Stephen.

Is he really one step closer to the life he wants?

The Aussie lifestyle showed Stephen and Elissa

a real upside to life down under,

but affording it and having time to enjoy it

would mean finding good work prospects in Brisbane.

Otherwise, the Bishops could find themselves

in the same situation they are at home.

In the Shetlands, Stephen works in maintenance at an oil terminal.

Having trained as a marine engineer, he'd like to get back to the kind of work he loves.

It's not a job I like to do.

I'd like to try and get my skills back.

I feel I've lost a lot of my skills.

I'd like to get back into

the engineering side of things rather than maintenance.

We've arranged for him to visit a local shipyard.

He hopes Australia will provide more chances

of working in the boating industry and give him

the family life he's missing out on.

I work nearly seven days a week

back home as much as I can just to try and make ends meet.

The idea of moving here is to spend more family time.

Spend more time with my daughter Maddy.

I don't want to be working 12-hour days every day of the week.

Meanwhile, Elissa is visiting a riding centre.

As horses are her passion and her business,

it's vital she can do something similar in Australia.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-I'm Elissa.

-I'm Debbie.

-How's it going?

So glad to be here.

I've been needing a horsey fix! (THEY LAUGH)

So, you live here, then?

Yeah, my house is just up the hill, which is fantastic.

-Get up out of bed, walk down to the stables...

-Yeah.

See, this is so like the set-up

I have back home, but it's just like the Australian version.

-Can I have a look?

-Yeah, come through,

and I'll show you all the horses.

While Elissa gets her fix of horses,

Stephen is getting his fix of boats and engines with the site manager.

This vessel here's from one of the islands

up in the Whitsundays. She's due for a major service.

-Yeah?

-Let's go up and have a look.

-As you can see, it's seen better days.

-Yeah.

But with a little tender loving care, she'll come back good as new.

So, as you can see, we've got one engine out already,

and the other one's

pretty much due to come out as well. And then either replace or rebuild,

-fit it all back in.

-Yeah.

-All right?

So, kind of interesting stuff,

it's a big project you can really get your teeth into

-and get excited about.

-Exactly what I'm looking for.

-Yeah.

That sounds promising.

Elissa hasn't been able to resist getting into the saddle.

-Enjoy that?

-Yeah, really.

She's just so comfortable to ride.

It was fun. Thank you, Crystal.

It's just lovely being able to ride out

in this lovely weather. We just don't get that back home

and it's given me a lot to think about in a good way,

so thank you very, very much, and we'll stay in contact.

Yes, definitely. Keep in touch, and it's my pleasure.

It was really nice to meet you.

-And good luck with all your decisions!

-Thank you.

At the boat yard,

Stephen is steaming straight to the most crucial questions.

-What kind of wage can you expect here?

-The wages for your type of qualifications

would be between 50 and 60,000 Australian.

At best, that's around £38,000.

Less than he earns in the UK, though there is one big difference.

And that's based on how many hours a week?

A 38-hour work week, which is Monday to Thursday.

It'll be a 7am start and a 4 o'clock finish,

and on Friday it's a 7 o'clock start and a 2 o'clock finish.

It's nice to have that two-and-a-half-day weekend.

Yeah. Sounds really good.

That's great news for Stephen.

This move is all about being able to spend more time with his family.

Being able to ride again has really got Elissa thinking.

Being out here with the nice weather

and knowing you can really plan ahead here in the horsey world,

for breaking and training and just going out for a hack,

the business side of things is really promising.

That sounds suspiciously like

she's considering moving to Australia.

You know, it could be possible. I could be happy here.

It's a little bit of a change for me,

a little bit of a turnaround, I think.

It looks like Stephen's dreaming of emigrating

has suddenly moved one step closer to becoming a reality.

Especially as the idea of lower wages doesn't seem a problem.

It's a completely different job to what I'm doing at the moment

back home. The job I'm doing at the moment isn't something I enjoy,

so I'd rather take a pay cut

and do something I do enjoy, especially out here

in the beautiful weather.

But could he be putting his dream ahead of the financial reality?

Time to vote on work.

Based on job opportunities out here in Australia

and what I've seen today, I vote for...

Australia.

Stephen is still pressing on for Australia.

Can he really afford the move?

Despite his mixed news,

Stephen still believes the benefits of moving would outweigh the risks,

and Elissa seems to be warming to a life in Australia.

But with the decision in the balance,

seeing what their UK home is worth could be a major factor.

Their house and land in the Shetlands cost £255,000 four years ago

and they think it's now worth around 300,000,

including Elissa's business.

We sent two local estate agents

to value the property in the current climate.

Sunny day.

This has been fairly fully renovated,

insulated, new windows,

new floors, new central heating.

Fine freshly-decorated room.

The only disadvantage here is the comb ceilings,

which are in use as head height at the doors,

and also with old property,

the stairs are quite steep. But that said,

decent accommodation upstairs.

This is a form of croft house.

If the house and various other assets

are sold as an entity,

we would estimate them realising

in the region of £270-290,000.

Having inspected the house,

the land, and the outbuildings,

I think we are dealing with a package value

of 275,000.

Those are both lower than the 300,000 they were hoping for.

I'm completely gutted. Hugely disappointed.

It's just the amount of money and everything

we ploughed into that place, just to be told

it's not worth any more than what we really paid for it.

In some ways, it makes me even more thinking to not go back to that house.

Well, I knew that would put fuel into your fire.

Yeah.

There's no way we'll be able to afford anything with land.

And there's no way I'm coming without having horses and land.

If looks could kill.

Well, from my perspective, why would I...

I know.

..sell what we have to move to a house with nothing around me

and I can't even keep a donkey in the garden?

And why would I stay doing a job I hate

to pay for a place that isn't worth anything?

I know that, Stephen.

So...

See ya.

There we are again.

It's not all about money, though, Stephen,

is it? When you're paying wherever you are...

It is when I have to work all the time to keep the place...

But so do I! I work seven days a week, Stephen.

Yeah, but I'm working for a place I don't really want any more.

I know you're not happy in your work

and I know you don't like Shetland, Stephen.

But looking at it from Maddy's side of things,

she has a really good future back there.

So I know you're gutted right now,

but you need to pull yourself back a bit

and weigh up the pros and cons, basically.

Hmm. It's just thrown a huge spanner in the works, that one.

For you.

Yeah.

Not so much for me.

Finding out the value of their home seems to have really highlighted

how Stephen and Elissa feel.

However, Stephen isn't giving up so easily.

We've prepared a comparison of their UK and Australian finances

for them to examine.

Will this be what puts an end to any hope of a move?

Properties.

So this is the one we liked the best,

and it was cheapest. Monthly repayments.

That's like double what we're paying now,

just under.

-Yeah.

-That's a lot more.

-That is a lot, yeah.

And that's the cheapest. Cost of living...

So your wage is going to be less.

A lot less.

Look at that after tax.

Looks like you'd have to be working the same hours over here

as you are back home.

Horses, double.

Clothes, more expensive.

Nights out, more expensive.

Right, so UK, we've got just over 2,200.

-Outgoings?

-Outgoings.

Australia would be just over 3,000.

So it's a lot more, and our mortgage is going to be 50-odd thousand more.

And we're going to be just under £20,000 less in wages,

so I'm going to have get a really good job ASAP

and Maddy'll have to go into child care.

-Yeah.

-Or you're going to be working every hour God sends you.

It's another blow. It's another blow to my dream, certainly.

The difference in their living costs each month

is a lot more than Stephen or Elissa expected.

But if they both worked full time, the move might still be possible.

Taking everything into account, how will they vote?

Based on the finances that we've just found out,

we're going to vote...

UK.

Hmm.

Based on what we've seen today,

it just wouldn't be financially viable to do it.

It's gutting.

Must be more so gutting for you.

Absolutely.

Seeing the price of his dream life in Australia

was tough for Stephen to take.

But there's one more cost they need to consider -

the impact of leaving loved ones behind.

While Maddy gets some sleep,

Stephen and Elissa sit down to watch messages from family and friends.

Can they really face the pain of leaving them behind?

Ready?

-Hello, folks.

-Oh, Mum.

I hope you're having a lovely time.

Elissa's very loyal.

She's good fun, she's always there for you.

And there's never a dull moment when she's around.

-She makes everything fun.

-Mm-hm.

-Everything.

Stephen's lovely. He does a lot

for Elissa and he does a lot for her friends.

Always makes sure things are fixed.

He's a very kind person, Stephen, and we'll miss him too.

Stephen as a father, he loves Maddy.

You can see it. He...

He spends a lot of time... Maddy loves him.

I think Stephen wants to go to Australia so he can

better himself in his career. He can get a job that he really wants,

that he's really passionate about.

Stephen's so meticulous that he just wants a job

that he can be a perfectionist at.

-I think it'll give Stephen a new opportunity.

-I do.

He's not happy here with his job.

I think they'll regret it if they don't go and try it.

We only have Elissa as a daughter and Maddy's the only grandchild,

so I don't think you could measure how much I'm going to miss Elissa

and Maddy and Stephen if they go.

You know, it's an awful long way to go

if anything ever happened to them

and would we...

would we ever be able to afford to go there

if anything happened to Stephen?

You know that we'll be there whenever possible to see you,

but you also know we'll miss you.

Good luck to you both if that's what your plans are,

and you know we're behind you 100%.

-Well.

-How's that made you feel?

That Shetland's still for me.

I'm 32 and the people I have

around me now, I want them there every day.

I want to see their faces every day.

Mmm.

I'm really happy back home.

And I know you're not, and I don't know how that's going to change.

I don't know. It's just... It's so hard.

-We both want completely different things.

-Mm-hm.

I just don't even want to consider going home yet.

I can't even bring myself to think about it.

I mean, where does Maddy fit into your dream out here?

I think Maddy'll have far more opportunity out here.

But I struggle with her not sleeping

and working with the help that I have

at the moment, Stephen.

You'll be out at work and I'll be there by myself.

Do you not get this?

I won't have that out here.

And not only will I lose that, I'll lose everything that I've worked for.

I can see that you hate your job,

and I can see that you hate Shetland, but I can't help that.

As they reach the end of their week, it's brought home

just what Shetland means to Elissa. But Stephen's unhappiness

with work and life in the UK is just as clear.

It's an almost impossible dilemma for both of them to face.

As they reach their final vote, they both have a lot to think about.

It's only been seven days, but Elissa

and Stephen have come a long way.

It's opened my eyes a lot, this experience,

to what it might be like to actually live here.

Certainly, the cost of living was a bit of an eye opener.

I do think about the decision

day in, day out, really. It's just,

my whole life I've wanted what I have,

and I have it, and I've only had it for two years.

But some days I wake up and I think,

just give it a go, you know,

make Stephen happy.

It's time to make the final, crucial vote.

Does their future lie in Australia?

Or is giving up Shetland unthinkable?

Well, this week's been an amazing opportunity.

It's given us a real insight on what would happen if we moved out here,

the pros and the cons.

So, taking all that into account,

now we're going to vote.

UK.

Undecided.

I'm a bit surprised with that.

Part of the idea of moving to Australia

for me was to move out here

and have some financial stability and not to be having to work every hour

to sustain our life out here.

But everything else considered, I'm still swayed towards Australia.

It's a massive disappointment for Stephen. His years of dreaming

about Australia have been rocked by the harsh realities of money and work.

I know the safe and happy future that me and Maddy would have back home.

I just don't know where Stephen fits into it all,

because he's just not happy.

Yeah, we're definitely going to have to sit down together and

just really have a good think and

have a good chat on where we go from here.

It's been a tough week for the Bishops.

They've been forced to confront

the reality of wanting different lives.

Hopefully, understanding the depth of their feelings

will be the first step to finding the better future they all want.

We wish them the very best of luck.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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