Wife Swap

Jess and Lou Pearson-Faith are a lesbian couple from Essex. They live together in a council flat with Jess's three children from a previous marriage. Two years ago Jess met Lou and, despite a ten-year age gap, they became one of the first couples to wed in a same-sex civil ceremony and now have plans for a child of their own.

Lou takes care of the housework, including all the ironing, cooking and washing, while Jess manages the kids. But, aside from the household chores and Lou's part-time bar job, Jess and Lou have nothing else to occupy their time. With no full-time jobs, they are reliant on benefits for their income.

Two hundred miles away in Cheshire, life is very different for traditional farming family the Berrisfords - mum Mandy, dad Mick, 14-year-old son Tom and 13-year-old daughter Emma. In the Berrisford household, Mandy looks after the house and kids, while traditional dad Mick works over 70 hours a week on the farm and expects to be taken care of at the end of a hard day's work.

For Mandy, work doesn't end with the domestic chores - she is constantly being summoned by Mick to come and help with everything from milking to mucking out. And she does it all on the meagre allowance she receives from her husband.

How will Mick react when he discovers that the Pearson-Faiths get more money through benefits than he earns on his farm? And how will Jess cope when she learns that Mick would sooner disown his son than accept him if he came out as gay?

• WATCH NOW ON