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00:00Go on, what's the best thing about those Spanish costas?
00:04I like getting the sand in between my toes.
00:06The great shops.
00:07Atmosphere.
00:08Sea.
00:09You hate the sea.
00:10Shut up.
00:11But one thing we could all agree on,
00:13with over 300 days of that glorious sunshine a year,
00:17it sure beats the cold and grey of the old UK.
00:21Ah, this is a lie.
00:23Living that dream can be blooming hard graft.
00:26Misty.
00:27My lad, you're right.
00:28Stress level.
00:30Through the roof.
00:31But at the end of the working day...
00:33Girl power.
00:34Girl power.
00:35Come on, Sam.
00:35Forward.
00:36Booyah.
00:37The quality of life on the costas...
00:41I did it!
00:42..is priceless.
00:43Cheers.
00:45Peace and love.
00:46Cheers.
00:47That's why there will always be...
00:49Start again, she's waffling.
00:50Oh, Kerry.
00:51A lot cheaper than England.
00:53Everybody's in that friendly zone.
00:54This is heaven.
00:56Bargain-loving Brits in the sun.
00:58CHEERING
01:00Today on the costas...
01:02Breathe in.
01:03It's all stress and squeezing for Will Sparkle.
01:06I told you I shouldn't try to be Sparkle.
01:08Ah, but you wouldn't, Dan.
01:09What I've lost is a tub about that big,
01:11about that 25 gallons of black paint.
01:14Dan's DIY dreams...
01:16Yay!
01:17...turn into disaster.
01:18No.
01:19No, I don't know that much.
01:21We had a competition to name the queens.
01:25They had to choose names beginning with Y.
01:28And we buzzed back to when B-Whisperer Bill misplaced his queen.
01:32Come on, Yvonne, where are you?
01:42Welcome to Sparkle Towers.
01:44OK, we're just going to give you a little recce-through where we are at the minute.
01:49This Berydorm enclave is home to entertainers Will and Steve.
01:53We more or less spend 75% of our time out here.
01:57We live out here on this balcony rather than the house,
02:00cos the weather is so nice.
02:03Just not today.
02:04Today there's no time for roof terracing.
02:07Will's husband Steve is indoors, sparkling up a plan.
02:11I'm just checking over the list to make sure we've got everything right for tonight.
02:14Nothing is left a chance when it comes to putting on a show.
02:17This is where Steve sits and edits all the music.
02:20What?
02:21What's happening? How are things going?
02:23Oh, I'm all ready.
02:24You're all ready?
02:25The couple have been working together in showbiz for 40 years
02:28and have booked a show tonight.
02:30And there's no changing at the last minute.
02:32But if we were over time, then I've got my mind on one number that we'll take out.
02:36When I first met Will, I was 16, Will was 18,
02:40and Will was singing in the working men's clubs in Newcastle.
02:43I went on a talent programme in the 70s.
02:47It was a programme called Opportunity Knocks.
02:49And I went to audition for TV as a singer.
02:53And it didn't knock.
02:55It did... Opportunity...
02:57No, Opportunity didn't knock, Steve, and it didn't knock.
03:00But all that changed when Will transformed his act.
03:03Someone said to me, why don't you go out in drag?
03:07So I went to someone...
03:08One of the leading drag acts of time.
03:11Who, for three weeks, learned me how to put make-up on.
03:14And after three weeks, he gave me one wig and one dress.
03:17And I went strolling round, walking round all the clubs in Benidorm.
03:21And I got booked straight away.
03:23Our own drama queen, Will Sparkle and Lindenberg.
03:28With headdresses like that,
03:29I'm guessing only in venues with high ceilings.
03:37Will Sparkle's been shimmering in front of Benidorm audiences
03:40for over 20 years.
03:46But after taking six months off,
03:49the veteran entertainer's ready for his comeback.
03:51And it needs to be perfect.
03:54So, yes, this is full of boas.
03:57We've got dresses.
03:58This one's a nice one.
04:00But I've worn this one already at the venue I'm going to tonight.
04:05And people take photos.
04:06So we don't want to keep the same gowns in.
04:11We want to change them.
04:12And here we've got various headdresses
04:16that I've worn over the years.
04:18The motivation to get back into the shows
04:21is the excitement of doing the show,
04:23getting everything ready.
04:25The adrenaline, picking new frocks out, new gowns.
04:28I do like an applause on my entrance.
04:30You do like an applause on your entrance.
04:32Well, who doesn't?
04:33And whilst the pair haven't taken a hiatus from the stage,
04:37they haven't been sitting idle.
04:39The first thing we're going to do when we get this water bottle
04:42is the bus is going to stop at a restaurant cafe.
04:46At the moment, we've been working for a tour company
04:51for the last 18 months,
04:53been doing different excursions.
04:55Just make sure you've got your valuables with you, OK?
04:58So with the summer over on our touring jobs,
05:02we've decided to have a little bit of a comeback.
05:07As long as Sparkle listens carefully as well
05:09and knows his timing when to come out
05:12and when not to come out, yeah.
05:14I think that's all I'm worried about.
05:15Well, something else I am worried about
05:17but really is starting to do...
05:19Nothing to do with the music
05:20and nothing to do with the show, actually.
05:22It's, er...
05:23It's my teeth.
05:25Because I've got new teeth.
05:26I make sure I've got plenty of denture fixed on
05:28because I don't want them flying out or anything.
05:30Well, that'll be one way to start tonight's show.
05:33They're known professionally on the circuit
05:35as Glimmer and Sparkle.
05:36And their comeback gig is down the coast
05:39in Laszegna, near Torrevieja.
05:42Car's all packed.
05:42We're just ready to go now.
05:44Yes.
05:45It's about an hour and a half drive.
05:46And then we're going to Kim and Clark, our friends,
05:49and we're going to go there for a couple of hours,
05:51have something to eat.
05:52You got cash?
05:54Yeah.
05:54I don't know.
05:54I haven't got cards.
05:55Right.
05:56They're taking it all in their stride now,
05:58but after six months out of the limelight,
06:00hopefully they've not lost that showbiz sparkle.
06:04Let's go.
06:11It's the only best thing about having people in England,
06:13they bring you PG tips.
06:15I prefer you all cheating.
06:17Dan and Charlotte moved to Benelmadina just two months ago.
06:21I'd always wanted a bar.
06:22We found the bar that we've got now.
06:24The reason we bought the bar,
06:26probably because the sort of living economy back in the UK
06:30is too expensive.
06:31So we sort of uprooted our lives and moved to Spain.
06:35Well, you uprooted.
06:37I uprooted.
06:37I followed.
06:38Yeah.
06:39I could never find anything in my own house.
06:41The rookie business owners are still trying to find their feet
06:44both at work and at home.
06:46You tied it up, don't you?
06:48Huh?
06:49I didn't move the milk.
06:50It was on there.
06:51There was a fresh one.
06:52Yes, I know.
06:53It was here.
06:55There it is.
06:55Running their own business has also tested
06:58their organisational skills.
07:00Right, so you're going to the brewery?
07:02Yeah, I'll go to the brewery.
07:04You go to the bar and do the benches and the painting.
07:07You're going to drop me off?
07:07I'll drop you off.
07:08We're going to the paint place first.
07:10Yeah.
07:10I need some rollers.
07:12Previously, Dan worked as cabin crew,
07:14whilst Charlotte was a travel planner.
07:16It's a massive change.
07:17You go from doing a nine-to-five office job
07:21to now doing bits through the day,
07:25deliveries, wholesalers,
07:27to now working till one, two o'clock in the morning.
07:30You don't really get time off.
07:33And today is no exception.
07:35Can you grab my paint clothes, please?
07:37Yeah.
07:38Keys, sunglasses.
07:39You want my wallet?
07:41Yeah.
07:41Going from something that you're earning for someone else
07:44to then earning for yourself,
07:47you put in a lot more work.
07:49Yeah.
07:49And that hard graph continues
07:51as Dan is playing to give the bar a facelift
07:53before they open for business in just a few hours' time.
07:57Today's a bit of a mental one.
07:59I've got to take a bench out at the bar,
08:01then I've got to paint around where they were
08:04because they were fixed to walls,
08:05and then make sure there's drying time.
08:08So, where is this place?
08:10No, it's not.
08:11It's that one, man.
08:12Ah, I see it.
08:14Here they are.
08:14Oh, go in, isn't there?
08:15Don't worry.
08:16Not known for his great DIY skills,
08:18hopefully the pub project will prove smooth sailing
08:21for novice decorator, Dan.
08:23It's fun, this thing, dude.
08:24I need to go out.
08:27This is fun.
08:28I've never come to a shop before.
08:30Where the hell...
08:32The paint must be dry and everything's spick and span
08:34before the customers arrive for tonight's quiz night.
08:37So there's no time to waste.
08:40Mm-hmm.
08:41Ah.
08:43Oh.
08:47There they do.
08:48How many times in the bar do they not know...
08:50Yeah, I know.
08:51..as men and ladies' toilets?
08:54So we can change them as well.
08:56But Charlotte is already planning for other changes.
08:59I don't have a dog, but...
09:01..in the future, I may have a dog.
09:03I think I'm more this needs done, that needs done,
09:08and then he's done there and that.
09:10Dan's more in the now, I'm more in the future.
09:13I think, oh, we could plan to do this event next summer.
09:15But today, they're on the same page when it comes to the plan.
09:19Right, they've got everything.
09:20Yeah.
09:22So we've got our paintbrush, well, roller.
09:24It's not brush, it's a roller.
09:26A roller.
09:27Got our men's and ladies signed and a tray for the paint.
09:33Yeah.
09:33So Dan can get going with that.
09:36Let the day commence.
09:41Coming up.
09:43My real worries, your ankles are well protected.
09:46Beekeeper Bill gets ready to do battle.
09:48It's done me on the face.
09:50DIY back in the UK was not my thing.
09:54And Dan's demolition skills are put to the test.
09:58Don't try this at home.
10:08Life in Spain can be lived at any pace.
10:11But in Andalusia, they like it slow.
10:15We're in the orchard now.
10:17And it's on four levels.
10:20Enjoying the summer haze of 2021,
10:23the countryside had never looked better.
10:25At the first level, we've got quinces and figs.
10:31Retirement is going very well for one couple.
10:34Here we've got the oranges and lemons as the citrus grow,
10:39with mandarins.
10:41Nottingham natives Bill and Andrea
10:43move to Spain to live near family.
10:45I just love Spanish potatoes.
10:48They're so tasty and yellow.
10:50And so I put the oven on, what, 180?
10:53I love them and they make exquisite chips.
10:56Cook them fast in fat.
10:58This green-fingered pair are also living the good life.
11:02These are our own tomatoes,
11:04which we started growing this year.
11:08Before retiring to Spain,
11:10Bill was a nuclear physicist and a teacher,
11:13and Andrea ran a special needs school.
11:15I love it.
11:16The weather, of course.
11:18The cheaper cost of living.
11:20They're very social out here.
11:22We've got a good expats community.
11:24And, of course, we've got family as well.
11:27They sold up in the UK and bought this fancy pad,
11:31a former ambassador's residence,
11:33and they haven't looked back.
11:34This is the terrace that gives us a lovely breakfast view,
11:40so we can get out of bed in the morning
11:42and come out here,
11:43look at the wonderful view,
11:45and have a nice cup of tea.
11:48And over there, the sun goes down.
11:51One of the things that I didn't want to leave our house in the UK,
11:55and then when I saw this,
11:57the sunset was just as beautiful,
11:59but just in a different place,
12:00and it's lovely.
12:02It's not all sunsets and sitting about on the veranda.
12:05Bill and Andrea have jobs to be getting on with.
12:09On my 65th birthday,
12:11Andrea bought me a surprise birthday present,
12:14which was a beehive.
12:16But then I got well and truly hooked into keeping bees.
12:22I knew when I decided to buy him the bees
12:24that he would love it,
12:25because he's a scientist and he loves animals.
12:27And this afternoon, Bill has been summoned by Her Majesty.
12:31While I go and check the bees
12:34and see if we can find Yvonne,
12:37who's our latest queen bee,
12:40if you could paint...
12:42I'm going to paint some hive.
12:43I'm going to paint?
12:44Yeah, because that's really relaxing.
12:47And it's a bit hot, so I'll paint in the shade.
12:50With Andrea busy on hive renovation duty,
12:54Bill is getting suited, masked and booted.
12:57I'm not sure I could carry off that look with my figure.
13:00The reason we have to wear a suit
13:02is because once you get into the hive
13:05and you're taking frames of honey out,
13:09the hive will have maybe 30,000 to 40,000 bees in it.
13:14And on one occasion,
13:15two of the little bees came inside
13:18and one of them decided it was unhappy
13:21and it stung me on the face.
13:24Ouch.
13:24It wasn't at all funny
13:26when his face was completely swollen on one side.
13:29It was very embarrassing and very difficult
13:32and he was in a lot of pain as well.
13:34Where it was, it might seem strange in Spain
13:37where we haven't had rain for quite some months,
13:42but your ankles are well protected.
13:44Keep the ankles and face safe.
13:46There we go.
13:48Ooh, you look like the bee's knees.
13:50Andrea will stay out of mischief with her brushes.
13:53I'll finish painting the hives.
13:55I like to give the bees a mural on their new home.
13:58Bit eccentric and stupid, but there we are.
14:01OK, let's go and see these bees.
14:04I'll follow you out when I've got me suit on.
14:22Will and Steve have made the hour and a half trip
14:25to wow the Costa Blanca crowds
14:27with their comeback bonanza.
14:28Oh, well, that's a nice surprise, isn't it?
14:33Hi.
14:35I swear you, she'll look more delicious every day.
14:39Oh.
14:41Oh, Kimmy.
14:42I have Kim on my right
14:45and I have Claire on my left.
14:47Now, these two beauties,
14:49when we lived in the Bahamas,
14:51as I said, they lived next door,
14:53you were five.
14:54Five?
14:55Five, you were a...
14:57I had ten.
14:58The reunion with Kim and Claire has another advantage.
15:01I don't really want to drive home at one in the morning,
15:03so luckily Kim lives ten minutes from the venue,
15:07which means we're brought to our nighties
15:09and we can sleep there for the night.
15:11With a few hours before curtain up,
15:13there's just time to squeeze in a ketchup.
15:16Do you want a cup of tea?
15:17Oh, I'd love a cup of tea.
15:18Every time I do a show, Kim and Claire come,
15:21which is rather special.
15:22Do you mind me asking, how old are you now, Kim?
15:25Forty-six.
15:26Forty-six?
15:28Why, when you were five?
15:30You were a little five-year-old, eh?
15:33And so you're 51, so it was ten and five
15:36when we were neighbours, weren't we?
15:38And there's a lot to reminisce on after 40 years.
15:41I just remember your house
15:42just blaring with music all the time.
15:46Because I...
15:46Just run in and out.
15:47Yeah, like, with the garden, you know,
15:49like how we used to just run around and round
15:51and just look in and just see what you two
15:54were getting up to, like, dancing around.
15:56Eh, there was nothing to worry about.
15:59There's not much to worry about.
16:00Now, though, we're all doing...
16:01I'm not living in Spain.
16:03You're very settled in Spain now, like us.
16:05You're very settled.
16:06Yeah, I couldn't ever see myself going back to England.
16:09Oh.
16:09Tonight will be Will Sparkle's big comeback
16:12after a six-month absence from the entertainment scene.
16:15So, tonight, are you all prepared?
16:19Yes, I've done no rehearsal.
16:21Ah, so not really all prepared.
16:22I'm all prepared, 100%.
16:25If tonight goes well,
16:27Will Sparkle could find he is in demand for bookings.
16:30I can't wait.
16:31For your photo call.
16:32What time does it start?
16:34Eight o'clock.
16:35Oh, I've got ages.
16:36What I want tonight is I want people up and dancing.
16:40Oh, good.
16:41I think that's your invitation to start the conga line, ladies.
16:44They're like family.
16:45They're, you know, they've been in our lives always.
16:48Well, we've gone to every show they've done down here.
16:51It's just really nice that we can all get together
16:53and, yeah, have a good time.
16:56Yeah, it's just a time...
16:58It's like reminiscing.
16:58Yeah, exactly.
16:59We just love...
17:00They're so funny,
17:01and just being with them just lifts your spirits.
17:04There's some more lifting to be done before tonight's gig.
17:08The plan now is you're leaving to go to the venue.
17:11Yeah.
17:11Steve will do his job of getting the music sorted.
17:17I'm just going to have a little rest.
17:20At 65 years young,
17:21it's a good idea to conserve your energy before the big show.
17:25OK, then.
17:26Bye-bye.
17:27Everything will be up and running for me getting there.
17:29I will.
17:30I'll just go and bathe me feet.
17:32Bye.
17:45Just found out in our recent calendar,
17:47there she is.
17:49That's Amber, a Padenko.
17:54She was rescued.
17:55She was run over.
17:56We didn't think she was going to survive.
17:57She had quite a bit of brain damage, broken jaw,
18:00was in quite a mess.
18:02So she couldn't go to the kennel,
18:04so I took her home with me.
18:12She's just a beautiful dog.
18:13I mean, she's really good.
18:15She's very playful.
18:17But what is a shame about her
18:19is she's still no confidence.
18:21She's getting there day by day, week by week,
18:24but, yeah, very scared of everything.
18:32We're now doing quite well.
18:34We can manage nearly an hour's walk.
18:36Although if we see anybody, she's off.
18:40Yeah, lovely dog.
18:48And this is the bar.
18:51In Benelmanida,
18:52the novice bar owners are rolling up their sleeves.
18:55You can kind of help,
18:56so I'm standing there, supervising.
18:58I was going to go off.
18:58Are you doing the brewery now?
19:00Yeah.
19:00So I'm off to the brewery to pick up some stock,
19:04leaving Dan to do the DIY handyman work,
19:07which I don't get involved with.
19:09Dan has only a few hours
19:11to transform a section of the bar
19:12ahead of the evening rush.
19:14The plan today is to take this bottom part of this bench out
19:17and then go over this with some paint again.
19:21Let it dry.
19:27All right.
19:28Now I've got to find the paint.
19:29But what I've lost is a tub about that big,
19:32but about that is 25 gallons of black paint.
19:36Where did I put that?
19:39This is my life.
19:41If he doesn't find the tub soon,
19:43he won't be able to finish the job
19:45or risk his customers getting covered in wet paint.
19:48I think it's time to phone a friend, Dan.
19:50So it's on to barmaid Joe.
19:53Right, my memory's like a sieve,
19:56so I'm hoping yours is better.
19:57There was a massive white tub of black paint.
20:01Can you remember?
20:03Have you seen it?
20:03It's here, it's in the bar.
20:07But I can't find it.
20:08Tonight-wise, we have a new family-orientated game.
20:12It's still a work in progress.
20:15People won't start coming in until hopefully about seven.
20:20Hopefully, by about four o'clock, the paint will be dry.
20:25We haven't really changed a lot at all.
20:27We're very lucky that their customers continued with us.
20:30People don't necessarily like change all in one go.
20:32No.
20:33And especially when they're regular customers.
20:36So any alterations Dan and Charlotte make
20:39have to keep the existing punters happy.
20:41Every day is...
20:43Every day is a learning, though.
20:44Yeah.
20:45I found it.
20:45It was the first place I'd looked.
20:47It's not as big as I thought it was.
20:50Yay!
20:51Crisis averted.
20:53No.
20:54Not all over my troubles.
20:55Or maybe not.
20:59Don't try this at home.
21:05There's a damn sight quicker.
21:08They're faffing around.
21:10And time is of the essence,
21:12as the bar has a full house booked for tonight's quiz.
21:15DIY back in the UK was not my thing.
21:21Are we calling it DIY or demolition?
21:27I'm happy with it.
21:28It opens it up a lot more.
21:30Charlotte's back from the brewery,
21:32but will she be happy with Dan's handiwork?
21:35Yeah, he's done a good job.
21:38Just, er...
21:39Just a good job?
21:40It's a good job.
21:41LAUGHTER
21:44With just over two hours until customers arrive,
21:47will the paint be dry?
21:49Right, we've got the first coat on,
21:51but because we are running it out of timeage,
21:54because it is now five o'clock,
21:57this will dry by seven.
21:59It's not looking bad.
22:00I'm not...
22:01It needs more,
22:02but it also then needs a bit of varnish on it.
22:06But...
22:08It's a work in progress.
22:09It's not finished.
22:10And that's not the only work in progress.
22:12I need to go shower,
22:16change.
22:17I'll be about 45 minutes,
22:19I would have thought.
22:24Back in the tranquil Andaluthian countryside...
22:27Well, we've got a subspecies of the western bee,
22:31a little bit darker than the English bee.
22:34Bee whisperer Bill is in his element,
22:37transferring his queen bee, Yvonne,
22:39and her swarm of workers to their swanky new hive.
22:43Moving the bees from the temporary hive
22:45into the permanent hive
22:47is a very delicate job.
22:51When I first had the bees,
22:54put my bee suit on
22:56and had to go and open the hive,
22:58and there were a lot of bees flying around me.
23:02I thought, what have I done?
23:04While Bill is busy with the bees,
23:06Andrea is on a mission to pimp up the empty hives.
23:10So let me just get the colours that I need.
23:13She'll be giving them a fetching new look.
23:15When you paint outside,
23:17the paint dries quicker.
23:18Let's paint a little bee, shall we?
23:21As well as moving the colony to their new residence,
23:25Bill is trying to spot Queen Bee Yvonne.
23:27We're looking for a slightly larger bee,
23:31a little bit longer,
23:33quite distinctly different from the workers.
23:36She's been on this frame.
23:38Does she have a crown?
23:40Andrea knows what makes Yvonne look regal.
23:43She thinks it's the stripes.
23:44They look more like bumblebees, don't they?
23:47Because they're stripey.
23:49But most bees that we keep
23:51are, in fact, quite black and shiny.
23:54Not many people eccentric enough as me
23:58to go painting bee hives.
24:00And now I'm in Spain and retired up and do what I like.
24:03Come on, Yvonne, where are you?
24:05Her Majesty seems to be missing in action.
24:08We had a competition to name the queens.
24:11They had to choose names beginning with Y.
24:17Let me know, I can't see the queen.
24:20OK, let's put that one back.
24:24There we go again.
24:27Nope.
24:28It is very frustrating not being able to find the queen.
24:31Perhaps not today.
24:34Come on, girls.
24:35Have you in the new hive?
24:37With the swarm safely in their new abode,
24:40Bill hopes they will soon get back to what they do best.
24:44In the next day or two, I'll feed them some sugar syrup.
24:47I'm looking forward to a good hive and lots of honey.
24:57There you go.
24:58Hot, hot, hot, hot.
25:01But for now, it's time for Bill and Andrea
25:03to get back to admiring that view.
25:12Coming up...
25:16Technical glitches cause some hitches
25:18at Will Sparkle's all-important comeback.
25:21Let's have a go at this extension.
25:23Here I've got 1,996.
25:26I've got about 2,000 bottles here.
25:28And beekeeper Matt needs to ship some stock.
25:31And I really do need to sell it, you know, quite badly.
25:34And it just, like, desperately.
25:48Hello, my lovely.
25:49Hello, darling.
25:50How long time is here?
25:52Nice to see you again.
25:53You all right?
25:54You doing well?
25:54Yeah.
25:55Keeping the show on the road in Lasennia,
25:57Stephen has arrived to settle.
25:59OK, you get yourself sorted and then shout if you need me.
26:02OK, love.
26:03You're on, Mike.
26:03They've played a gig here before,
26:05so he's on familiar turf.
26:07Lovely little ball, lovely venue.
26:09I'd like to be early because there's nothing worse
26:11than when the guests are coming in
26:12and the act's still getting all their equipment ready.
26:15Once everything's set up, then that's fine.
26:18I feel more relaxed once everything's set up
26:20because you never know what's going to go wrong
26:21at the last moment.
26:23And as this is the first gig Stephen and Will
26:26have done in six months,
26:27things could be a little rusty.
26:42I'm not sure that extension lead is going to solve the racket.
26:46That'll work well.
26:47Let's work here.
26:48What's better?
26:50It was too close.
26:51It's far too close.
26:52Fingers crossed.
26:53That's all right.
26:54As long as you don't go too close to this speaker.
26:57Will Sparkle is already close.
26:59OK, then, Branka.
27:01Here we are.
27:03Should we get some of the stuff out straight away?
27:05He's arrived with his wardrobe mistress and stylist, Branka.
27:10Hello.
27:11Hello, Will.
27:11How are you, my darling?
27:12I'm good, thank you.
27:13Oh, this is huge compared to some.
27:16Normally, it's a room cupboard with crates and crates of entries in them
27:20and there's nowhere to do anything, is there?
27:23Well, we're only in it for the glamour, aren't we?
27:26Now, I just dump everything and Branka starts working on magic.
27:31Without Branka, there is no shorts.
27:34She'll just have everything done.
27:35She'll start styling the wigs.
27:37So, how many costume changes have we got?
27:39Right, we've got one, two, three, ten.
27:43Ten costume changes tonight.
27:46With ten costumes and 30 numbers to get through,
27:50the unrehearsed show will be relying on Branka to be one step ahead.
27:54I've known Will now, what, 15, 20 years
27:58and working with him is phenomenal
28:00because he's a brother from another mother.
28:03I love it.
28:04I love every minute of it.
28:06So, I have no concerns apart from I put on a couple of pounds
28:10so hopefully I can get into them gowns tonight
28:12because as Will Sparks says, I don't rehearse, I don't try on
28:16so hopefully they'll all fit tonight.
28:23I'll open it up and then just...
28:26Life is a cabaret, especially on the costas.
28:29We usually go to, like, all the tribute acts and stuff
28:34and there's something going on everywhere.
28:37We had an Elvis the other night, didn't we?
28:39Yeah, we had an Elvis.
28:40Didn't look a bit like him.
28:42Drag artists are fantastic.
28:44Yeah.
28:44As everyone says, there's something for everyone.
28:47There is.
28:48Yeah, we love it.
28:49It seems everyone here is full of beans.
28:51I like to have a book full blood.
28:58You can really let yourself go on a night out.
29:05But if you're not up for a raucous one...
29:08My favourite thing in the evening is just sitting in the bars
29:10and people watch.
29:11Well, they don't hold it against you.
29:12My favourite spot is in front of this old team
29:14or watching the world go by.
29:16I'm gone past partying.
29:18That sounds pretty sweet to me, Celine.
29:23And speaking of sweet...
29:26I'm known as the honey man and the bee man
29:28and I love bees, beekeeping.
29:30We're bonkers about bees today
29:32and in Manilva, there's another enthusiast.
29:35I'm fascinated by bees
29:36and I love the whole thing about selling honey.
29:38I love the whole idea about offering people
29:41a good quality product.
29:42And we're buzzing back to 2020
29:44when 49-year-old Matt from Hampshire
29:47was busy trying to turn his honey into money.
29:50There wasn't so many bees as there are now.
29:53100-fold.
29:54But he needs to make enough money from the golden nectar
29:57to keep a roof over his head.
30:01To be honest, I mean, the honey was paying all my bills
30:04and my rent just.
30:06Some months were a bit tight
30:08and I've just about managed to pay the rent and the bills.
30:10But recently, the honey sales have dropped off a bit.
30:15Matt needs to sell 55 euros of honey a day
30:18to keep him out of any sticky situations.
30:23One, two, three, four, five.
30:25I've got five people to see.
30:27Some want one jar, some want two.
30:31So hopefully it can be a fairly pretty good day.
30:37Made it.
30:39OK, so I'm not sure whether she wants a small jar
30:41or a big jar
30:43because she originally said a small jar
30:46but then she's just said she sent me the money
30:48for a big jar.
30:50So, I don't know.
30:52I'll have to wait until I see her.
30:53Hopefully it's a big jar.
30:54Go big or go home is my motto.
30:56Yeah, you too.
30:57How's it going?
30:58That is actually five euros.
31:00Hey, that's even better deal.
31:01Yeah.
31:02Hello.
31:03Hello.
31:05With all the hellos done and honey handed over,
31:08Matt's takings are in.
31:1045, 50 euros, which is not so bad.
31:15The honey sales peak and trough.
31:17Some months are really bad
31:18and I'm struggling pretty bad.
31:19Matt's diversifying to help keep the money coming in
31:22when the honey isn't flying off the shelves.
31:24So, I wanted a product.
31:26Which was as good as the pure honey
31:28but wasn't honey.
31:29So, I made a lot of tests of honey beer.
31:31I didn't really like any of them
31:32but one was a glass of
31:34cava, champagne, prosecco.
31:37Ooh, bees bubbly.
31:39I can see that catching on.
31:41It's play off the word for honey and pollen in Spanish
31:45which is miel and pollen.
31:48Matt's invested every penny he has
31:50so it needs to work.
31:52I was just wanting to make a couple of hundred bottles
31:54when I spoke to the head brewer up there
31:56and he sort of smiled and shook his head
31:58and he said,
31:58the minimum I can do is 500 litres.
32:01Matt ordered 3,000 bottles
32:03and sales haven't exactly gone pop.
32:05He launched it a year ago.
32:07There is still a lot of stock to shift.
32:10Here I've got the 1,996.
32:14Well, I've got about 2,000 bottles here
32:15and I really do need to sell it, you know, quite badly.
32:19I need to sell it desperately.
32:21But before Matt can start flogging his fizz,
32:24he's got to fix a printing error on the labels.
32:27Because it's the sort of first product that I brought out,
32:29it has to go well.
32:30I can't have any hiccups at all, really.
32:32I can't afford it.
32:34And cash-strapped Matt is having to replace
32:37nearly 2,000 labels by hand.
32:40What I don't want is little creases in the labels.
32:43I want it looking perfect.
32:45This could take a while.
32:46It has to go perfectly right
32:48so that I recuperate the money I put into it,
32:52which is about 16,800.
32:55You're very patient.
32:56Oh, I'd be fizzing.
32:57But all this graft will hopefully be worth it.
33:00I've got a tasting coming up in the next couple of days,
33:03which is quite important.
33:05It's been held in a square
33:06which is populated by mostly British bars, restaurants.
33:09And I've also gone and spoke to these bar owners.
33:12I think they're interested in stocking it
33:14depending on how this tasting turns out.
33:17So I'm quite apprehensive.
33:1920 down, just 2,000 to go then, Matt.
33:22And then you need to get flogging.
33:30Things are looking much more orderly
33:32at Dan and Charlotte's bar.
33:34We need to put wet signs up,
33:36but I don't think we will,
33:37because, to be fair, it's dry.
33:39Success.
33:40The paint is dry and they're expecting a crowd.
33:43We've still got a lot of people still to turn up.
33:45They will turn up generally about half eight.
33:48We've got food to get out,
33:49and then we'll start our new game.
33:52Here's a few bowls of course.
33:54Put your hands up, wave around.
33:55One.
33:55After a day of jobs and errands,
33:58Dan and Charlotte need to be on form
33:59to keep the punters happy.
34:01I haven't actually counted myself,
34:03but we're full.
34:04All right, ladies and gentlemen,
34:05this is the time of the evening
34:07where we play family time.
34:10Ooh, I love a quiz.
34:12Right, name me something that has to be licked.
34:15Ice lolly.
34:16Ice lolly.
34:17Is ice lolly up there, Charlotte?
34:20It's up there.
34:21Top answer.
34:22Oh, I think I've played this before.
34:25We bring in new games as much as we can
34:28because obviously people are on holiday,
34:31and if you do the same thing every night,
34:33it becomes very Monday.
34:35Name me something that has to be licked.
34:39Envelope.
34:40Charlotte, is envelope up there?
34:43Yeah.
34:44It is up there.
34:45Someone's been busy doing straw polls on the sly.
34:49Name me a fruit that reminds you of a body part.
34:52You could be stressed,
34:54and then you could have a really, really good night.
34:56The crowd that are in there,
34:58they're all having a laugh,
34:59they're all having a joke,
35:00and it changes your mental state with that.
35:08And the verdict on the night,
35:09our survey says...
35:11I've had a really good night.
35:13Even if I didn't get the answers,
35:14it's taken, but all that counts.
35:17Really good.
35:18Good company.
35:18You meet strange folk
35:20that you've never spoke to in your life before,
35:22and it's really good.
35:24That's just a standard night out in Salford for me.
35:27Very good.
35:29But it's always good, don't you?
35:30All of us.
35:32Charlotte and Dan have been on the go for ten hours.
35:35As long as everyone has a good laugh and a good joke,
35:38that's all we ask for,
35:39because we know that if they've had those things,
35:43they will come back.
35:44Yeah.
35:45The night's gone well.
35:45Very well.
35:47Well done, ladies and gentlemen.
35:53Coming up...
35:54My heart's gone a little bit now.
35:56Isn't that funny?
35:56Will Sparkle is back working the crowds.
35:59OK, then.
36:00Oh, it's a bit hot, isn't it?
36:02Yeah.
36:02I'm sweating.
36:04Do you like another one?
36:05And will it be bees to honey
36:07as Matt tries to sell his sweet stuff?
36:10I'd be over the moon if I got an order.
36:21Over in Dekesa, Matt is desperate to shift some of the 2,000 bottles of honey wine he has in
36:27storage
36:28and has arranged a tasting.
36:29I really need to sell anything upwards of 10 to 20 bottles, really.
36:34That would be ultimate success tonight.
36:37We've brought 20 bottles to sell.
36:39Actually, I think we've probably got more just in case.
36:40But he's also hoping for an order for more from Roger and Michelle, who've been running this bar since they
36:46left the UK.
36:48It's a different type of checkout to what we sell anyway.
36:50It's a honey one.
36:51We sell the normal white Prosecco.
36:53You can tell that he's absolute heart-sing, can't you?
36:55Yeah, yeah.
36:55He really loves the product and believes in what he's doing.
36:59My happy man!
37:01Which needs to see how the tasting goes, really.
37:03Matt has gambled his life savings in this drink and needs to see a return.
37:08I'd be over the moon if I got an order, yeah, to be honest, I would.
37:11Because it would show me that I'm actually doing the right thing.
37:16So he's giving away free samples to get the taste buds tingling.
37:20Oh, that's nice, yeah.
37:22This is very more of a nice, lovely, lovely, lovely.
37:24Do you like another one?
37:26A tiny top.
37:27OK.
37:28Everyone is lapping up the complimentary nectar, but Matt is yet to sell a bottle.
37:32Interesting, and I'm curious to try more.
37:35I bet you would.
37:35That'll be 15 euros, please, madam.
37:38Matt really needs to make some solid sales
37:40and start seeing a return on his huge investment.
37:43All right, I'm getting a bit of interest.
37:44Hello, Mary.
37:45Darling, I'll have a bottle, please.
37:47Oh, excellent.
37:48OK.
37:48Slowly get in there.
37:49Lovely.
37:50Yeah.
37:51Makes you feel healthy drinking it.
37:53Cheers.
37:54Once you pop, it seems like you can't stop.
37:57Excellent.
37:58Thank you very much.
37:59Not at all.
38:00And finally, Matt's sales are off and running.
38:03There's your change there.
38:04Thank you very much.
38:04Thank you very much.
38:05Great.
38:06It's been a good night.
38:07I've been very, very happy with that, actually.
38:09Very happy how it's turned out.
38:10Yummy.
38:13Matt's face has definitely got some fans.
38:15But has he done enough to sweeten landlady Michelle?
38:18So I was wondering if you would ever, like, stock it, you know, or be interested in stocking it.
38:23Yeah, absolutely.
38:24Do you know, sort of, how much of an order you'd put in, or, uh...
38:27Probably to begin with about 36 bottles and then just see how it goes from there, you know.
38:32OK, that's really good.
38:33That's good to hear, actually.
38:34Excellent news, and Matt's sparkling wine has definitely started a buzz.
38:39I've sold 10 bottles, which is pretty good going.
38:41We've had a pre-order of 36 bottles, which is really good.
38:45It's a slow process.
38:47It's going to need some work.
38:48I can definitely see the success there.
38:50And this is what it's all about, living the life and enjoying the life and living in the stock.
38:55Cheers.
38:59Do you know what this is?
39:01This is carpet glue.
39:03And, you know, we all use this because it gets very sweaty.
39:06Applying some tufted Wilton to the eyelids is all in a day's work for Will Sparkle.
39:11Don't worry, don't be concerned.
39:13It won't bring my eyes, and this is going to go on these eyelashes.
39:17Frank, is that OK, Will?
39:20The boat on, yeah.
39:21Beautiful.
39:22So the last time I performed was just over six months ago, and that's been too long.
39:27We should do at least once a month somewhere, which is what we're hoping to do.
39:31But performing is not the only thing that Will hasn't done in a while.
39:35Breathe in.
39:37See, I told you I should have tried this.
39:40I bet you wouldn't.
39:41If the zip doesn't do up, Will Sparkles could be hitting the floor.
39:47Oh, it fits like a floor.
39:49That persona is nothing like me now.
39:53Once you put the wig on and the gown and you hear the music, you become a different person.
39:57I think you could tell Steve we're ready.
40:00Now then, Will Sparkles just about ready to join us.
40:04Oh, my heart's going a little bit now.
40:07Isn't that funny?
40:08I've been so calm.
40:09Mr. Carmel doesn't rehearse, doesn't look at all my throbs.
40:13I've got a little bit of a hearty going on.
40:16It's too late to regret any of those choices now.
40:19Now, eyes and teeth.
40:21Will Sparkles, ladies and gentlemen.
40:26Oh, well, well, well, ladies and gentlemen.
40:29What a lovely evening we're going to have.
40:31OK, then.
40:32Oh, it's a bit hot, isn't it?
40:34Yeah.
40:35I'm sweating.
40:36At least your eyelashes aren't going to slide off.
40:39Hello, ladies.
40:40Where are you all from?
40:41Liverpool.
40:42Oh, Liverpool.
40:43Good evening.
40:44Where's this table from?
40:46Liverpool.
40:47Oh, Liverpool as well.
40:49With a pit stop, a fresh sequins, there's time for a breather before the big number.
40:55It's gone well.
40:56I think they're enjoying this.
40:57Oh, I'm getting some of the kitchen.
41:00Call myself a coffee nation.
41:02And gone and stretching from the front of the line.
41:05Here we go.
41:07When the shower and the dark starts coming,
41:10I'm on the streets and traffic starts coming,
41:12Most like me on the dark.
41:14Here we go, everyone.
41:16Make some noise.
41:16Working nine to five.
41:18What a way to make a living.
41:21Every day to buy.
41:23It's all taken and you're here to go.
41:29OK.
41:31Absolutely fantastic.
41:33Yeah.
41:33He was better than last time, actually.
41:35Don't you think?
41:36I think so.
41:37And I think the crowds as well were better than last time.
41:40There were some new tracks, like new songs as well.
41:43And most of the costumes were new as well.
41:46Yeah.
41:46Yeah, it was brilliant.
41:48Very good.
41:49Very professional.
41:50He just laughed so much.
41:52It was funny.
41:53Very, very funny.
41:54Excellent.
41:54It was great to have somebody like that down here.
41:57Something different for us to come and see.
42:00Yeah, you're right.
42:00Without having to go all the way to Benadon.
42:03Brilliant.
42:03A bit of a struggle towards the end.
42:05I'm a bit out of practice.
42:07The last sort of thing was under.
42:10The pair have managed to pull off an unrehearsed triumph.
42:14I'm not leaving you, you know.
42:16I'm not leaving you.
42:18I'm not leaving you.
42:18You know how to do me.
42:20I'm not leaving you.
42:22I'm not leaving you.
42:22But will, will Sparkles come back be a flash in the pan?
42:26The audience seem to love it.
42:29This, this should lead to more gigs because tonight he's got photographs.
42:33Hopefully he'll do his PR work on the internet.
42:36And then we'll get multiple kinds of shows, which is the way I want to go.
42:40I think it was just an all-round good evening.
42:42I do as well.
42:46Next time on The Costas.
42:47Right there, stay there.
42:48Go!
42:49Colin put some new recruits through their paces.
42:52They're trying to blunt, babe.
42:53Did you see that?
42:53It's make or break for restauranteur Karen and potwasher Rob.
42:57Might have bitten off more than I can chew on this one.
43:00And we step back in time with Lorna.
43:02Hiya.
43:03You ready for tonight?
43:04Yeah.
43:05Good lad.
43:24Good lad.
43:26Good lad.
43:27Good lad.
43:28Good lad.
43:29Good lad.
43:30Good lad.
43:32Good lad.
43:33Good lad.
43:33Good lad.
43:34Good lad.
43:34Good lad.
43:34Good lad.
43:34Good lad.
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