To think the families on Wanted Down Under are a bit spoilt/delusional?

[Hatchinganegg]

Almost every episode involves a family with pretty average jobs living in your average 3 bedroom semi detached. They go to Australia and turn their noses up at massive houses because they don't have pools and walk in wardrobes. Or they're 10 minutes from the beach rather than right across the road

They never seem to want to start off a few rungs down from their eventual goal, it all has to happen right away.

They all want identikit houses too- those shiny kitchens and acres of cream carpet. I'd like to see one where the family was after something a little different personally!

[Emmageddon]

I wonder if some of them are actually depressed?

I wondered that last week, when the husband said he wanted his wife to have fun, to go out on girlie nights out with her friends, and she said she didn't have any friends, which is why she wanted to emigrate. She sounded really low and unhappy, and she will undoubtedly remain low and unhappy wherever she lives, unless she addresses the underlying reasons for her unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

[Mrsmadevans]

'That programme drives me mad. I'm sure they all do it for a free holiday.'
YES!

[TheFirstMrsDV]

The ones that annoy me the most are the ones where one partner is obsessed with the idea of moving to Australia based on nothing other than a fantasy.
They are convinced that their life will be amazing if only their selfish OH would let them live the dream.
Never mind they have never travelled further than Southend and are a mechanic/nail technician earning around 15k.
They use every emotionally blackmailing trick in the book to get their OH to agree to the move.
Once over there it becomes absolutely clear they can't afford more than a two bed in a grotty superb and they will both have to work double their current hours.
The kids are horrified at leaving their family and friends.

I often think the partner is a controlling arse who will move on to another fantasy obsession once they go off the Australian one but blame their family/brexit/immigrants for quashing their hopes and dreams

[SavoyCabbage]

When I lived in Australia I hosted ‘Wanted Down Under’ parties where my Australian friends would cry with laughter.

‘Only two hours from the city’ well that four hour commute will help your family life

‘Just take this course to convert your qualifications’ it costs $40,000 as you are an overseas student

‘Just let the local schools/hospitals know you are available for work as there is a shortage ‘ yes, in the rural areas, not in the cities where you want to live.

‘The family voted Australia after the day swimming with dolphins ‘ yes this once in a lifetime experience should shape the rest of your life.

[k2p2k2tog]

They just want a free holiday.

"Kevin and Sharon are shocked to discover that their 2 bed semi in Bolton isn't worth the £600k they had thought". "Kevin is surprised to learn that he will have to undertake some training if he's to fulfill his ambition of working as a brain surgeon". "Sharon is very attached to the next door neighbour's cousin's cat - can she bear to be parted?" "Kevin and Sharon have never set foot outside Kent, but are sure that Australia is the answer to all of their problems".

No wonder there are so many ping pong Poms if the numpties who go on the show are typical. The people I know who have moved to Aus knew exactly what they were getting into and spent months researching absolutely every aspect of it.

[PinkCrystal]

I totally agree. I have seen some episodes where they say if they can't have a pool and a huge house they wouldn't do it.
I think it is mean also when they move away from kids from previous marriages.

[TheFirstMrsDV]

Wasn't there one with a LP who sold crystals for a living or something. I was never sure how she would manage to fund the move.
There was a balloon 'florist' on a while ago.

[BattleaxeGalactica]

I think they are very often extraordinarily naive.

A bit of basic research would save most of them the trouble of falling over backwards with their jaws on their chests.

[perfectstorm]

They just want a free holiday.

Surely it's all about this?

It's like those shows where a groom plans a wedding in about 20 minutes. I always assume a good 75% discuss exactly what they want in advance, lie to get on the show, and then they create the required dramatic tension by hamming it all up to keep the production team happy, and stay on the supposedly nonexistent script. They presumably try to filter them out at the early stages, but a lot must get through and get their wedding on the cheap and filmed that way?

I mean, surely most of these people never actually emigrate, right?

I wish we had a MN thread where people who've been on reality shows could tell us what actually went on. They're way too formulaic for it not to be lots of smoke and mirrors.

[brizzledrizzle]

We looked at emigrating to Oz and so got this place valued but found that all we'd have been able to afford was a shack place in the sticks about 200 miles inland from Perth so even further from the cities and the beach than we are now in the south west. It didn't go any further for obvious reasons.

[Amatree]

Yes! All this! They go on a day out to a zoo and then gush about how they will have do much more quality family time in Australia...umm you do know you can go out to all manner of attractions and beautiful locations in Yorkshire where you live now?! It's definitely true that 99% of these people are miserable and have cottoned on to life down under as the miracle cure. I enjoy the catch up episodes though as a fair few do go and settle well.

[Amatree]

It's not as bad as A Place in the Sun though...Literally no one buys anything, they all go home to mull it over. On the very rare occasions that a call is made to an estate agent, all discussions are in English and offers made in UK pounds despite being on the Costa del Sol. It's always a couple of chancers after a free holiday, it's painfully formulaic!

[siilk]

As an Australian these programs make me want to scream!!!!!! Yes we have £200,000 and want a 4 bed house with a pool in a major city They always seem shocked when they can only afford a knock down in a dodgy suburb!!!!!

[perfectstorm]

Yes! People also think Australia is really cheap in terms of cost of living, and that housing is easily affordable. It so, so is not these days. 20 years ago, sure. Now? Ahaha. No.

[Cherrycokewinning]

I only saw one- a large family who lived ina. Beautiful huge house in Scotland. They had £300k, rocked up to Sydney and got shown a condo.

How could they not have realised well before the show that £300k is nothing in Sydney?

[Holliewantstobehot]

The funniest one I ever saw was where the husband was actually Australian and the wife was British. He wanted to go back to Australia as there were too many immigrants in the UK now. He didn't seem to think he counted as an immigrant too. I think they went but then split up soon after although I might be confusing them with someone else.

I think a lot of people don't realise how far away it is. My ex is an immigrant although not from Australia and he barely ever goes back because of the cost and also because you don't necessarily want to visit family for every holiday for the rest of your life. Its a huge break.

[OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow]

When my dsis was here from Oz she loved watching this and laughing her head off. I think the words delusional, off their heads and bloody stupid were used liberally. As my dear departed dad (10 pound Pom) used to say, it's one thing going on holiday somewhere, but working 40 hours a week, in sometimes 40 degree outside temperature, in his case, a steelworks, well that's something else.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

Haven't watched it for ages, but often used to think the couples had relationship or other troubles, which they naively imagined would disappear if they only had a pool in the garden, non stop sun, and barbies every other day.
Should imagine that quite a few of those who decided to go found it considerably tougher going than the dream.
Though I dare say some of them just wanted to be on telly, with a free holiday chucked in.

[Primamadonna]

Hate it too - same demographic every time, reluctant woman who's close to her family and doesn't want to move with enthusiastic partner who is dying to move. Cue the worst bit - video of the relatives at home who for some reason appear mainly like selfish twats, coming out with all kinds of shit and bursting into tears when they're only away for a holiday. I don't watch it anymore, 'tis shite.
And A Place in The sun is only bearable when they have realistic people - not those that have £40k and want a house with a pool. They keep coming out with the same old shit and hackneyed statements. Moan over !

[KenForPM]

I’ve seen maybe one or two episodes of this and thought the same as you lot!

I hate property programmes in general. Seems like everyone is really picky, they’re never satisfied.
The last episode of A Place in the Sun I saw (before quickly switching off) featured a young hipster couple who’d never even been to where they wanted to live... which was Fuerteventura! Most of the couples have at least been on holiday to their chosen destination. I could tell the hipster couple were going to annoy me so I switched off quickly.

[Doubletrouble99]

I just couldn't understand the guy today who hadn't googled his qualifications before going all that way and hadn't realised he would have to retrain! So many of them haven't got a clue.

[Sparklingbrook]

Escape to the Country winds me up. A lot of the time it's a retired couple who want to swap their nice normal house in the suburbs for some huge £££ listed pile in the country. Acres and acres of land, loads of bedrooms for all the visitng family, an annexe for a very elderly parent. Period features, oak beams, loads of expensive upkeep and gardening.

They never buy anything they are shown anyway.

[losingmymindiam]

These programmes aren’t going to last much longer what with Brexit and tighter immigration laws. As Brit living in Australia I can tell you that it isn’t so easy anymore. The visas are really limited. If you want to get a loan or mortgage or help with childcare or University you need to be a permanent resident (and that is not easy or cheap to get) and the cost of living is higher. Housing, even in rural areas is not cheap and sprawling and jobs are harder and harder to get. Also having some experience of reality tv, a lot of it is fake.

The people on this programme are ridiculous but I’m sure it is played up for the camera to make good TV.

[SameWitches]

The one today had me and DH in stitches, the DH had no bloody chance of moving, the DW earned £5k here but wanted £20k there and their families gave the weirdest sob stories 'Do what you want, I'll be dead soon so I'll probably never see you again'. No-one ever mentions the massive fuck off spiders and snakes and the programme just ends after the poor deluded families decide YES! They all want to move to Oz! With no conclusion. Daytime telly is my favourite part of maternity leave. I love Bargain Hunters too, I've never watched shite like this before

[user1497863568]

I think there's this big misconception that the Antipodes are underpopulated therefore there's loads of land and jobs available. Actually, there is loads of land and houses available but most of the land is owned by the Crown (even freehold title is still technically owned by the Crown) and the same landlord economics are even stronger here (we have something called negative gearing which means owners can write off investment property losses from their taxes). All this combines to make housing very, VERY expensive. The ruling classes are addicted to it though and won't give it up, even if they see their own population collapse from underneath them.