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Telly addicts

How the other half live

321 replies

MollieO · 06/08/2009 21:03

Bit of a tv evening for me tonight! Anyone else watching?

OP posts:
poopscoop · 07/08/2009 13:16

yeah do you think the secret ingredient is fag ash in the home made cream?

hippipotamiHasLost54lbs · 07/08/2009 13:26

I felt sorry for Brandon that he was filmed being carried to the sofa bed, in his pants. Did we really need to see that?

madusa · 07/08/2009 14:01

why did the youngest boy have his single bed and a set of bunk beds in his room?

My children would never sleep on a sofa if there was a bed in the house......I would rather sleep just on the floor than make my children sleep on a sofa. I really felt for that poor lad.

In the first part of the programme, Brandon was asked if the sofa was comfy and he said yes. Once the money starts coming in, his sofa was all of a sudden making his back hurt

The "poor" mother was such a lazy, selfish woman. I can't understand how or why she put her needs first. My children are my life and they always have the first choice of everything.

We haven't had a proper holiday (one where we're not staying with family)in 8 years. My children have only had one holiday abroad (that's the last "proper" holiday we had) but it doesn't mean that we're poor - it means that there are more important things to spend money on like decent food and clothes for my children.

jujumaman · 07/08/2009 14:04

I thought it was a brilliant advert for Pimlico Plumbers

And Brandon was a cutie

sarah293 · 07/08/2009 14:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

poopscoop · 07/08/2009 14:43

you may be able to watch it on 'catch up' Cannot remember which channel it was on now.

madusa · 07/08/2009 15:21

channel 4 on demand

WednesdaysChild · 07/08/2009 15:29

But look here the rich plumbers are even represented by Max Clifford so who was exploiting who?

AitchTwoOh · 07/08/2009 18:12

who's exploiting anyone? it is tremendously clever of PP to go on the telly and appear generous and 'normal', whoever is doing their marketing is doing a great job judging by the amount of coverage they've had.

PortAndLemon · 07/08/2009 18:35

Isn't it Pimlico Plumbers who cannily "employ" the not-actually-a-centenarian-as-it-turns-out marathon runner Buster Martin?

Yes, indeed it is.

jujumaman · 07/08/2009 21:20

yup, they do brilliant pr - all power to them.

dilemma456 · 07/08/2009 22:16

Message withdrawn

saggyhairyarse · 07/08/2009 23:02

Let's hope Zelda is browsing Mumsnet with her new laptop

EasterEggHuntIsOver · 08/08/2009 13:52

Zelda is here posting as 'michaelalaptop'

TheCrackFox · 08/08/2009 15:30

EasterEgg just had a look at your link .

And they say Mumsnet is a nest of vipers. We are like Mary Poppins compared to that bunch on the Gruniard.

hmc · 08/08/2009 23:49

Yes I've read those comments on the Guardian. Many of them despicable and mysogynist - yes judge the woman on objective criteria but to denigrate her for looking old. For Christs sake - struggling to discern the difference between readers of the Daily Mail and readers of the Guardian on this basis

michaelashere · 09/08/2009 17:08

wow how harsh you all are.Yes the begging letters were written by us, but the producers told us what we had to say.
We were not given permission to film in Asda or Primark....I wanted to shop in Primark....new look were the only ones willing.The money came with only the request to spend it,I wanted to put some away but we were not allowed to.
OK I should not have got laptop, I have been humiliated enogh over this.The second 2 grand went solely on the boys....but they chose not to show this in prog, they chose to make me look evil for higher ratings.And they chose to make it seem that I left my boys with no shoes or clothes or uniform, 2 grand buys a lot of clothes and shoes, and a PS3, and a laptop for Marcus as he wanted one lol,kids laptop .
and many more things, what they asked for they got.That was not shown of course, we all had CRB checks before filming, and doctors reports for insurance, so if I was a junkie/alcoholic with mental problems I somehow dont think I would have made it

michaelashere · 09/08/2009 17:45

PS my dear friends....Brandon DOES KARATE and Marcus does Gymnastics, paid from money recieved.Brandon chose a Ps3 and games.....i can go on..I should not even answer your nastyness, but I cant stand Brandon getting flack from all the meanness.that is all.oh and no....we have had no trouble from neighbours as we are friendly people,and its a small minority that make our lives hell.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 09/08/2009 18:17

Is this really you? If everything is as you say, ie. "The second 2 grand went solely on the boys" and "tthey chose to make it seem that I left my boys with no shoes or clothes or uniform" then I would have some serious complaints to the production company over how you have been portrayed.

I always wonder when I watch things like Supernanny and Who Rules the Roost or whatever whether the families are being portrayed as they really are.

To be honest, I think the skin care internet idea irritated people more as on the surface without knowing more, it just comes across as a pie-in-the-sky idea that wouldn't make you any money, hence the purchase of the laptop seemed a risky choice.

I hold my hands up and say that further up I posted that I wondered if you had drug or alcohol problems. I am glad you came on and clarified things, believe me it has made mf feel a bit .

I am glad you have not had any trouble from the neighbours.

Your children are fantastic as everybody has already written so if we had all thought a bit more about all this without jumping in, we would perhaps have realised that you must be doing SOMETHING right to raise such lovely kids. I'm sure most people who have posted are now feeling very they have caused Brandon to get flak from people over things that have been said.

I really hope this is you because at least you have had the chance to put your side of the story across rather than the programme-makers sensationalist way of doing things.

michaelashere · 09/08/2009 18:56

Yes it is really michaela.and shaun is sitting next to me, watching most of this.Thankyou so much for hearing me out,I DO HAVE ISSUE with prod company, and have said so, but they justify themselves.,and I can do nothing to change it.I adore my children, and we did this for them....we were told from start it was to help the whole family hense I spoke of my business as a way to earn and help my family.I have been to business link,and done a lot of research, its no pie in the sky deluded idea.
As I said, my boys got all they could dream up to ask me for, and by the way Marcus is a livewire to put it mildly,and work would be a welcome break,much as I love him!! I have sourced all my products and have a safety assessment done allowing me to legally sell a range of products that the assessment covers.I also was very pset about Brandon in the underpants..and Brandon asked the director not to include this, and he said they wouldnt do so, but they have and its embaressed poor Brandon.Before Shaun came to us, I spent 3 yrs sleeping on the couch...so Brandon had my room,but this was not possible afterwards as there is no room.I am going on a bit here but I thankyou for finally listening...I am just a mum who wants to improve things for her family.
Michaela

sitdownpleasegeorge · 09/08/2009 19:08

I so hope this is you Michaela.

Your children came over as lovely, lovely, lovely, was it edited to show them never fighting cos I have 2 boys too and they can't manage a single day without a disagreement ?

I'm a little surprised at buying a laptop for a 4 year old. I'd have given him the old PC to play on and the laptop to his older brother for homework.

Would post more but am short of time.

prettyfly1 · 09/08/2009 19:15

Micheala - two things. One noone outside of you and the makers of that programme will ever know what went on. I thought the premise of the show was to encourage uk charities to be considered as well as abroad ones, and last weeks show was immensely smpathetic, with lots of long term goals so I am surprised to hear you were portrayed by them so calculatingly. That said i DONT work in tv and wasnt there so if that is the case then what they did was was very wrong indeed. I still feel that unless you were in serious debt 413 should be enough to get by on comfortably - based on personal experience - however we dont know all about yours and shauns backgrounds, so that is as much as I can say on that.

If you really seriously want to get your own business of the ground, rather then chuck money at you it might have been good to give you some sensible advice and guidance. Have you spoken to business link. They are a free service and I cant rate highly enough the advice and information they will give you on finance, managing accounts, marketing yourself and networking which wont cost you a single penny. They run lots of customer courses etc, all of which can give you the right foundation to help you set up a long lasting and profitable company to benefit you and your kids.

I am sure you did think you were doing the right thing. I also think Brandon is a lovely little boy and a real credit so please do contact business link and good luck to you

michaelashere · 09/08/2009 19:18

LOL, the laptop for Marcus is a Vtec childs learning laptop, numeracy,spelling etc,but he actually prefers the real laptop as he loves CBBS website,and yes, at 4 yrs old he knows how computers work,and Brandon is a genius on the PC and I am working on sending him to a summer camp thats teaches youngsters how to create basic games.

poopscoop · 09/08/2009 19:24

michaela - I too have posted on this thread. Along with everyone else we have all said what lovely boys you have. They are a credit to you both.

I do not know how the prog was edited, but we are commenting on what we saw, and obviously the laptop situation was going to to be a bone of contention with viewers. It is a shame that you did not think about how it would be portrayed before you bought it. I also commented further up the thread that I thought you appeared to be only interested in how much money you were getting which made you come across as greedy. Your partner seemed so genuine and hard working and grateful for what had been done by this lovely family for the benefit of all of you.

I am sorry though for what I said about your face . It was written purely as I was annoyed at how you were portrayed in the programme.

michaelashere · 09/08/2009 19:27

Look guys....we saw a chance to help our family so we did the programme.I am not claiming to be poor or whatever, we struggle,butr most of the uk is struggling.the prods decided we were in poverty ,and to use us.I insisted it must be a positive experience for the boys.....We wanted people to see how difficult it can be for very very many of us, with the faint hope that govt might make it a bit easier, eg for mums to work etc.Some hopes!!!We ourselves found the constant focus on what we lack as depressing and a bit wrong somehow.business link are very good, thankyou,and there are no grants available in our area at the moment, but i have applied for a nursing job and hope to improve things for us, and maybe put a little aside for stock.As a last priority though,after all else.We do not drink BTY,we both hate alcohol and what it does to people,and if I have to say it again, we dont take drugs....I need to go now and get Marcus to bed,Thankyou for finally hearing me out...Michaela

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