Harlow trio star in Channel 5 programme “Rich Holiday, Poor Holiday”
News / Thu 21st Jan 2021 at 10:27am
THREE Harlow women were the stars of the Channel 5 programme “Rich Holiday, Poor Holiday.

Credit: Emporium Productions/Channel 5
A group of wealthy women from Barnes, west London who usually spend £18,000 each on glamorous holidays were shocked to discover how much ‘fun’ they can have on a budget after swapping trips with a trio of struggling mums from Harlow, in the latest episode of Rich Holiday, Poor Holiday, which returned to Channel 5 for a second series on Sunday.
Retired pilot and mother Lorraine, flight attendant, model and make-up artist Andrea and mum-of-one interior designer Bally are used to flying first class and eating Michelin starred meals on luxury holidays to glamorous destinations such as Rio de Janerio, Hong Kong, Val-d’Isère and Barbados.
But after heading on a budget break to Paphos, Cyprus, the group discovered a taste for kebabs and cheesy chips – which they deemed ‘better than sushi’.
The three Harlow women were mum-of-four Kelly, who works at discount home store, single mum-of-three Jackie, and Ruth, who is a sole carer for her autistic son.
The Harlow mums usually spend around £400 on a holiday, and love boozy trips to the likes of Benidorm and Magaluf, where they party and relax on the beach.
But instead of their usual drunken adventures, the group were sent to Halkidiki, Greece for a teetotal wellness retreat, at the eye-watering price of £9,400 for six days – where they took part in yoga, dined on Michelin starred cuisine and had relaxing private yacht trip – which left them ‘bored’ and ‘missing the banter of a booze cruise’.
Meanwhile, Lorraine, Andrea and Bally were a world away from their usual trips as they flew to Paphos for a week of bar crawls, supermarket shopping and kebabs on a budget of £862, which included £184 accommodation, £228 flights and £450 spending money.
Retired pilot and mother Lorraine, flight attendant, model and make-up artist Andrea and mum-of-one interior designer Bally are used to flying first class and eating Michelin starred meals on luxury holidays to glamorous destinations such as Rio de Janerio, Hong Kong, Val-d’Isère and Barbados.
The group are shocked to discover they have to share a bed, make their own food, pick up their own sun loungers and even took homemade sandwiches to the beach for the first time.
The group are shocked to discover they have to share a bed, make their own food, pick up their own sun loungers and even take homemade sandwiches to the beach. During a night on the Paphos strip the London trio are perplexed to discover the range of cocktails and food available, at bargain prices, and while back at their hotel a lack of good electricity makes getting ready a struggle. Left to right: Lorraine, Bally and Andrea +7
The group are shocked to discover they have to share a bed, make their own food, pick up their own sun loungers and even take homemade sandwiches to the beach. During a night on the Paphos strip the London trio are perplexed to discover the range of cocktails and food available, at bargain prices, and while back at their hotel a lack of good electricity makes getting ready a struggle.
Meanwhile, Kelly, Jackie, and Ruth, miss the excitement of the strip while at their luxury Greek resort.
Sitting down for dinner on the first night, they say they wouldn’t have ordered the Greek salad they were served as ‘they don’t know what it is,’ but do say they enjoy a break from the booze.
‘It’s actually really nice to do something different together,’ Jackie said ‘I can’t remember the last time we went out without wine.
And while many would pay hundreds for the luxury dinner they were served, the trio struggled to get down the cuttlefish, that was cooked for them by a Michelin starred chef.
‘It’s probably a really nice dish over here,’ Kelly explained, ‘but it’s not steak and chips’.
‘Usually when I go on holiday I’m quite a plain eater, half a chicken and chips, five nights in a row, I think I might have even had it one day for lunch and dinner,’ she added.
The next day, the mums take a trip on a luxury private yacht on an idyllic blue waters.
‘I don’t think – I’m just being honest here – I miss the banter of people we get on a party boat. We always talk to everyone don’t and we have the banter with a group of us, I’m missing that,’ Jackie told her friends.
‘Normally when we go on a boat trip it’s full of people, there’s about 50 people on a boat. And it’s all running for the beer, running for the cheap cocktail they got on board. And we’re all sitting there getting drunk,’ she added.
Kelly agreed, saying that all three of them would pick a party boat over a private yacht.
Bored of the resort, where they are doing yoga and getting massages everyday, the mums make a break for it and head into the local town for a boozy night.
‘Yoga teacher not here tonight, so it’s a night on the town,’ Kelly explained, ‘we’re going to bust some moves and hopefully get very drunk and have a good night.
‘I’ve never drunk so much water on holiday. Who does that, drinks water on holiday?’ she continued.
‘We’re gonna get drunk tonight, do shots, fall up the stairs, we’re having it’.
After ordering a vodka, rum cocktails, and two bottles of wine, tequila and more, Kelly said their yoga teacher would be ‘devastated’ as she’s ‘done so much hard work with us’.
‘We will carry it on,’ she added, ‘but not tonight. Sorry, f*** your health, we’re having a good night’.
The next morning, their yoga teacher discovers them hungover in bed and whipped up a recovery smoothie, but the women said they’d prefer bacon and eggs.
Meanwhile, the Essex group are equally astonished upon discovering their trip cost nearly £10,000.
‘I think we need to give these girls a lesson on how to budget their money,’ Jackie said.
‘For the activities we’ve done, I could never justify £10,000, never.’.
While admitting they learned things and have experienced a lot more than they usually would, the Harlow group didn’t change their mind amount the kind of holidays they’d like in the future.
‘Next year, definitely Benidorm, here we come!’ Kelly said.
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