Throughout history the UK has enjoyed a famously special relationship with the USA. We've embraced each other's culture, supported each other's foreign policy and scoffed each other's cuisine - but do we actually speak the same language?
In this series families from across the UK and America will swap lives for a week. They'll live in each other's homes, attend each other's schools, do each other's jobs and experience each other's social lives as they try to discover what really goes on in their twin towns.
Episode 1
The city of Edinburgh may be steeped in history and the arts but residents Craig and Debbie Stephens (a.k.a. Zedd and Saffire) are focussed solely on modern celebrity culture. Having appeared on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ the never say die singer/songwriters have set their sights on breaking the USA and are heading to Edinburgh’s twin town, San Diego, where they’ll be living the lives of the laid back Fish-Taylor family.
Episode 2
Stroud, Oklahoma is a small town in the heart of America's 'Bible Belt' with just one traffic light but no fewer than 17 churches. Situated on America's iconic Route 66, Stroud is also home to the Rock Café - a classic American diner that's the pride and joy of it's owners, the Welch-Summers family. Stroud's Twin Town is Stroud, Gloucestershire - a well heeled market town in the Cotswolds that's home to the blue blooded Lowsley-Williams family, owners of Chavenage House - a spectacular Elizabethan manor. For one week, these two families will swap lives. While the all American Welch-Summers are experiencing how asset rich / cash poor aristocrats live in a haunted mansion, the upper crust Lowsley-Williams will be working up a sweat in the Rock Café, cooking burgers for Hell's Angels and a gun toting Christian fundamentalist preacher.
Episode 3
Louisville is the largest city in the US state of Kentucky and is renowned for horse racing, bluegrass music and for being the home bourbon whiskey. The academically gifted Dhamer family from Louisville will be exporting their unique brand of southern hospitality to their twin town, Leeds, where they’ll be living the lives of Betteridge family. While the Dhamers slake their thirst for British culture on pubs and frozen food, club singer Dean Betteridge will be building bridges in Kentucky via the gift of music – that’s because Dean is in fact one half of legendary 80’s pop chart Botherers Black Lace!
Episode 4
Jimmy and Bogna Griffin own and run a successful bakery in Galway, Ireland and live in a beautiful home on the outskirts of the city with their young daughter. The couple would appear to have it all but they suspect the grass might actually be greener in their twin town – Seattle. To find out once and for all, the Griffins will swap lives with the Fitzpatricks, a staunchly catholic Seattle family, eager to unearth long lost relatives in the Emerald Isle. While the Fitzpatrick’s discover not all the residents of Galway are not as devout as they are, Jimmy Griffin does menial work for Americans suffering from an identity crisis and a reluctant Bogna takes to the stage with Seattle’s ‘Christian Clown Collective’.
Episode 5
Wilmington, North Carolina is a military town on the USA’s south east coast, however, not every resident fits the clean cut all American mould. Eric and Jess Dionne run a comic book store in Wilmington that also does a nice line in crystals, love potions, new age charms and paranormal investigations. Wilmington’s twin town is Doncaster, a former coalmining town that’s home to the Wilson’s – a straight talking South Yorkshire family with a no nonsense approach to life. For one eventful week these two, very different, families will swap lives. Whilst the eccentric Dionnes are ghost hunting in Doncaster and leading a protest march against the local council, the Wilson’s will explore Wilmington’s esoteric underbelly coming face to face with ‘cosplay’ enthusiasts, gun toting little old ladies and the mythical Cape Fear Lizard.
Episode 6
Little Rock, Arkansas is best known for being the powerbase of former president Bill Clinton. But, the intern bothering, cigar aficionado isn’t Little Rock’s only famous son. Sharpe Dunaway is the host of Little Rock’s highest rated radio show and a real life Arkansas celebrity. His wife Angela believes a way to her man’s heart is through his stomach and gets up at 5am every morning to cook Sharpe a breakfast of pork chops. Arkansas’ twin town is Newcastle, home to the hard grafting Debbie and Neil Sturrock who own and run a busy café and dream of an easier life in the USA. Arriving in Arkansas, Neil Sturrock takes the airwaves by storm whilst Debbie discovers the American dream is actually an American nightmare. In Newcastle, Sharpe Dunaway gets his hands dirty for a change and Angela finally manages to unchain herself from the kitchen sink
Episode 7
Nashville is the state capital of Tennessee and the epicentre of America’s country and western music scene. Nashville is also home to professional drummer and music entrepreneur Billy Block, his singer wife Gill and their musically gifted children. Nashville’s twin town is Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland and a city the Blocks know very little about - other than what they’ve gleaned via news reports concerning The Troubles. Sam and Lynda Waite both work at Belfast Zoo and live just outside the city with their three boys. Living in the Block’s shoes for a week will see them exchange their zookeeper’s boots for the well-heeled Nashville music scene. Meanwhile the Nashvillian Block boys get to play rugby whilst their glamorous parents Billy and Gill discover the joys of shovelling elephant dung for a living.
Episode 8
The residents of Anchorage, Alaska are famed for their frontier mentality and the rough, tough Schommer family are no different. They love hunting and fishing and stocking up their freezer with the butchered remains of Alaska’s furry inhabitants. Anchorage’s twin town is Whitby, a picturesque port in North Yorkshire that’s home to the pampered Surtees family. The Surtees are lucky enough to enjoy a life of full time leisure because, in 2008, former PA Jane Surtees won £7 million on The Lottery! Now, Jane and her daughters must exchange the beauty parlours of Whitby for the wilds of Alaska where, if they want to eat, they’ll have to shoot something first. Meanwhile, grizzled Alaskan Ty Schommer soon tires of the luxury lifestyle and hits the mean streets of Whitby in search of something to fight, drink or kill.
Episode 9
Chicago, Illinois is the third largest city in the USA and it’s got the well-endowed CV to match. Birthplace of the skyscraper, it boasts the two tallest buildings in America and a man whose personality is built to match – Othel Owen. Othel works on behalf of Chicago’s disadvantaged residents whilst his wife Maria manages their young son’s budding acting career. Chicago’s twin town is Birmingham and the Owens will be swapping lives with the Stevenson family – professional entertainers who run a 1980’s tribute act. Whilst Adam Ant impersonator Greg Stevenson works alongside reformed prisoners in Chicago, his partner Vikki will rediscover motherhood. Meanwhile in Birmingham the Owens will channel Madonna, discover the joys of cricket, raise morale in the NHS, cast off racial hang-ups and weep tears of joy – a lot.
Episode 10
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina wiped out the livelihood of the Blancher family from New Orleans. However, giving up and leaving town was never an option. Since Katrina the Blanchers have managed to rebuild their restaurant and bowling alley and, with business booming again, are ready for their next challenge. New Orleans’ twin town is Liverpool, home to the McAllister family: Tony, a fire fighter, Annette, who, works in retail and their twin daughters Alex and Melissa who will soon leave home for university. For the Blanchers, swapping lives with the McAllisters means downsizing from their palatial home, admiring John Lennon’s semi, experiencing WAG culture and being astonished by ‘Scouse brows’. Meanwhile the McAllisters witness Katrina’s legacy first hand, Melissa goes toe to toe with killer chickens and Alex gets to jam with a jazz legend.