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00:00Welcome to Florida.
00:02Florida life, nothing quite like it.
00:04Home to theme parks, golden tans, and 400,000 Brits.
00:08I absolutely love it here.
00:10Who've made the Sunshine State their new home.
00:13This is what sold me out. Yeah.
00:15Like, because it's stunning.
00:16Who wouldn't want to live here like this?
00:18They've swapped drizzly winters and gas bills for new careers
00:22and seemingly endless fun in the sub.
00:24Cheers, Biggers!
00:26It's our little piece of paradise.
00:28Get it right and life in Florida can be like a dream come true.
00:32Every evening do this with your glass of wine.
00:35But getting here and staying here takes hard work.
00:38I do pinch myself every day.
00:41Grit. We've just lost the starboard motor.
00:44And determination. Good job. Well done.
00:46These are the Brits who've made their own Escape to Florida.
00:54Today on Escape to Florida...
00:59Stage school owner Sarah's romance has led her down an unusual path.
01:04My dad used to say to me, you should go to America.
01:07I never dreamed.
01:08I want to marry a mortician.
01:12It might be hair today gone tomorrow for salon owner Sean.
01:17Welcome, everybody.
01:19If you don't stay on top of the trends, your clients will find the hairdresser that does.
01:26Yorkshire man Nick is out to impress long-distance girlfriend Lucy and her children.
01:31How about that for a few kids, eh? Florida from above.
01:37We have about six hours to finish this project. We've been working for the past two years.
01:42And the clock's ticking as design agency boss Richard puts the finishing touches to a major renovation project.
01:49We're running out of time as far as light goes.
02:00Orlando, central Florida. A top-tier tourist destination, welcoming 75 million visitors last year, of which nearly a million were
02:10Brits.
02:11It's also the place that Lester-born Sarah calls home.
02:18It's perfect.
02:20Duke, it's up on the wall. Come and look.
02:2423 years ago Sarah was tempted to Florida, but not by the beaches or a paycheck.
02:30It's perfect.
02:31Isn't it gorgeous?
02:32It looks really good.
02:33She came for love.
02:35What brought me here was Mr. Doug Dobbs, my husband.
02:39I met him in Hastings.
02:42I fell in love and he brought me all the way over to the sunshine.
02:47Sarah and Doug married in 2006.
02:50When I married Doug, I gained two amazing stepchildren.
02:53Brandon is in the business with Doug and Brittany, my daughter, is a performer at the theme parks.
02:59My dad used to say to me, you should go to America.
03:03I had dreams.
03:04So many dreams.
03:06I never dreamed.
03:08I want to marry a mortician.
03:11Never.
03:11Life is full of surprises, for sure.
03:15Doug's a funeral director, also known as a mortician in the US.
03:20And the family business is running this funeral home at Memorial Chapel.
03:27If your loved one dies, you choose a funeral home.
03:30You will call them.
03:31You will come in.
03:32And we'll then plan a service, which might be a cremation or a burial.
03:37And then the funeral home kind of takes care of prepping the body, making sure they look the best that
03:42they can be.
03:43And then plan the whole service, whether it be at a church or here.
03:48Husband Doug has made the funeral trade into his life's work.
03:52Don't stress, Doug, we've got this today.
03:54We've been here 36 years.
03:56And next May, this will be my 50th year in the funeral business.
04:00I started in 1976.
04:02Hard to believe.
04:03Just put your hands there.
04:06I was always interested in science as a little kid.
04:09By the time I got into high school, I thought, I need to start pursuing a career.
04:12And then I got into the funeral side and lived in funeral homes for four years of school and then
04:19two years of graduate school.
04:21Today's funeral service has been held at a separate church, which means this casket is empty, as all the preparation
04:28of the deceased is done elsewhere.
04:30We do everything, from the embalming to setting up the dressing, the cosmetics, the hair, the eyes in the casket.
04:37I got plenty of black suits.
04:39Humano time is game face time.
04:40You become that character to take care of the people.
04:43It couldn't be more different from Sarah's previous life in England, surrounded by stage lights and cameras.
04:50I was an actor, model, singer. I was working for QVC at the time, living just outside of London before
04:55I actually moved here.
04:57While she may not be in the spotlight as often these days, she's helping pass on that experience to the
05:03next generation.
05:04Oh, what a lovely day.
05:07I now have my own performing arts school, where I coach young up-and-coming professionals and some already professionals
05:13on Disney films, national tours.
05:17School's out today, so Sarah's on duty at the funeral home.
05:21Do the families choose their prayer cards?
05:24Yeah, yeah. These are more Catholic icons.
05:26We've got such a busy day.
05:28Doug and Brandon are going to be at a funeral, which is at a church and then it's going to
05:32go into the cemetery.
05:33And then prepare the chapel for a memorial service that will actually be held here tomorrow.
05:38We all kind of muck in, to be honest. When it's needed, we are all here.
05:41When you came to my mum's funeral in England, which is the only funeral you've ever been to.
05:47Old school, British.
05:49Oh yeah, the jackets.
05:50And one of the funeral directors walks in front of the casket with this big stick.
05:54Yeah. You loved it.
05:56The flowers for today's funeral have arrived.
05:59Hi, Marla. They're gorgeous.
06:02Saying goodbye to a loved one in Florida can be an expensive business.
06:07The total price for a funeral start at $15,000 and then goes up from there to a half a
06:14million.
06:14I'm an independent, so I don't have the overhead that big places do.
06:17It's just me and Brandon.
06:18So I can keep my prices pretty low, so we're pretty competitive.
06:24Oh my gosh, it is beautiful.
06:27And because it's Florida, Doug also has a side hustle.
06:32Not only is Doug a funeral director, he's also an Elvis impersonator.
06:37And he's ordained so he can actually marry people as Elvis as well.
06:42Today, Doug has to strike a fine balance between his two jobs.
06:47So he's got to get everything prepped and ready to run out the door to do an Elvis gig as
06:51well.
06:51So yeah, today is his mama.
06:53And that starts with Doug as funeral director.
06:57And with Brandon here with the hearse, they're ready to head off.
07:03Leaving Sarah in charge of the funeral home.
07:07Bye.
07:16Miami, Florida's party town.
07:22Famed as the cruise ship capital and the powerhouse of fashion and culture.
07:28And now home to Sean from Kirkcaldy in Scotland.
07:34Aye aye, what a beautiful day.
07:36My life here versus my life back in Scotland, there's obviously one huge difference.
07:43The weather.
07:44With year-round sun and ocean breezes, no wonder it's called the Sunshine State.
07:50A few things that I do here that I don't think could happen back in Kirkcaldy.
07:54We can't go surfing, we can't go swimming, we can't go scuba diving.
07:58They may happen, but they didn't happen when I lived there.
08:01Sean swapped Scotland for Florida in 2000.
08:06He lives here with husband Kevin.
08:09Good morning.
08:10Morning.
08:12And their three cats.
08:15Oh, he's a grumpasaurus.
08:17Belle, who's the oldest and is actually the only female in our house.
08:21And then there's Harvard.
08:22And then there's Oliver, who's our baby, who's two years old.
08:26I love them. Can't imagine our house without them.
08:28Today, the couple are celebrating three years of marriage.
08:33Happy anniversary.
08:35My husband Kevin is my rock. He's my everything.
08:39When I met Kevin, something clicked.
08:43Breakfast is ready.
08:46Kevin is originally from Venezuela. He's 30.
08:49He is a little bit younger than I am.
08:52And he's lived in the States for seven years.
08:56Cheers, babe. Cheers, babe.
08:59Later this week, they'll be marking the occasion with a celebration, Miami style.
09:03Did you enjoy the breakfast?
09:05That was delicious.
09:06We have between 30 and 40 of our closest friends coming to the location where we actually got married.
09:12It's going to be a really nice night.
09:14But before he can even think about getting his glad rags on, Sean's got work to do.
09:19Love you, Harvard. Love you, Oliver.
09:21It was Sean's job as a hairdresser that brought him to Miami.
09:26Bye, guys. Love you.
09:28And allowed him to build a brand new life here.
09:31I worked for Vidal Sassoon and they were expanding their US operations and I ended up here.
09:39Sean then opened his first salon 15 years ago with a business partner in Miami's celebrity hotspot of South Beach.
09:49I'm fortunate I get to work with a few stars.
09:52Richard Branson, Ryan Felipe, Martina Navratilova.
09:58And now they own another in the heart of Miami's business district.
10:02Hello.
10:0515 years in business in Miami is a challenge in particular, but, you know, we're very proud that we've been
10:11in business this long.
10:12It's another busy day cutting hair, but today Sean's also running a master class.
10:18This is looking nice.
10:21I've been doing this for 30 plus years and I still get nervous standing behind a chair teaching a master
10:29class.
10:31To stay ahead of the competition, Sean needs to keep his team plugged in to the latest styles.
10:37The importance of our master class is we've got to stay on top of the trends.
10:42They change frequently. When something new comes out, clients jump on it and we've got to be educated on the
10:50technique and the formulas.
10:52Can Sean get his team up to speed on the latest fashions in hair?
10:56The grown out hair colour look is definitely a vibe right now.
11:00Or will his hair chat fall flat?
11:15St. Petersburg on the Gulf Coast is nicknamed the Sunshine City as it once had 768 sunny days in a
11:24row.
11:24It's also home to Richard from Wrexham in North Wales.
11:30For me, I think, like, have you got that background?
11:32Yeah, listen.
11:33I've been in Florida a little over 30 years.
11:35My parents came over back in the early 90s and I followed them over for a holiday and fell in
11:42love immediately with just the beaches and the lifestyle.
11:46Richard trained as a graphic designer and started his own agency in 2005, inspired by his father.
11:53Cool. All right.
11:55As a young boy, I was growing up abroad in Africa and then in the Middle East.
11:59I watched my father work in construction and was just very inspired by great architecture and design.
12:05Richard's company provides bespoke design for a range of clients, focusing on the luxury real estate market.
12:12We design brands for buildings. We have to paint the picture, we have to tell a story.
12:18And everything is personalised to the client's choices.
12:20Richard now has a team of 11, including operations manager, son, Elliot.
12:26My dad is a great boss.
12:27Since working for him here, it's made me appreciate how much he does at work.
12:34And social media manager, daughter, Arabella.
12:39You make me.
12:40I do.
12:42My dad really looks out for everyone who works here.
12:46He's definitely different as a dad, but he still has that personable charm as well.
12:53So what's going on today?
12:55So we've got Cordova this afternoon.
12:58To actually have my children work every day within 20 feet of me is something I just cherish.
13:05Today, Richard and his team are focused on finishing the interiors for a client's high-end home.
13:11Today, we've got a big objective. We have about six hours to finish this project. We've been working for the
13:16past two years.
13:17Built as a holiday home for a couple who live in Philadelphia, interior designer Melissa has overseen this unique build
13:24from the start.
13:26Hey. How are you?
13:27Let's do this.
13:28We've literally done everything from working with the architects on the drawings all the way through to the fixture and
13:33furnishing.
13:34So the project's approximately approaching like $2 million at this stage.
13:38With that amount of money spent, Richard has to show he's delivered everything that was promised.
13:45But with the clients over a thousand miles away, he'll have to get their sign off via photos on a
13:50video call.
13:51Here's some renderings that we have of the kitchen.
13:53The photography for us is everything. We don't release imagery in advance of the home being completed because you want
14:00it to be a big moment for the client.
14:01If the clients don't think their vision has been met from these photos, it could hit Richard where it hurts.
14:08His wallet.
14:10We are paid percentage up front for our work, but if there's a situation that arises where they're not comfortable,
14:16we don't get paid.
14:26The city of Sarasota.
14:30A great place to live if you love messing about on the water.
14:35Just like 43-year-old Yorkshireman Nick.
14:39It's a big thing for me. He's so close to the water. It was just, I had kind of been
14:43my dream to get a boat.
14:44Boat life here is just great. You can hop from one island to the next very easily.
14:49You just pull up onto the tambar. Everybody's floating with a drink. It's just a different way of living.
14:54Nick's love affair with Florida started when he was young.
14:58Grab your pineapple. Pop it in. Hit start.
15:02I've been coming to Florida since I was a kid. I was a tennis player when I was younger. About
15:06six or seven years old.
15:08We got told about the number one tennis resort in the United States here in Sarasota.
15:12So I started training there while my family had a holiday.
15:15Perfect pineapple ready for the beach.
15:18It's a beautiful, beautiful place to live. Surrounded by crystal clear water. It's paradise living here. It really is.
15:25Nick's called Sarasota home for 11 years and is still completely hooked on the Gulf Coast way of life.
15:32Does Nick have everything but the girl?
15:36Hey darling. Hey babe. How are you?
15:39I'm alright. Where are you?
15:40Just at supermarket.
15:41Lucy is my girlfriend. She lives in Nottinghamshire. Her and I met on one of my trips. Back to see
15:47my family. Lucy was beautiful. I asked her out for dinner and the rest is history.
15:51Nick and Lucy are currently divided by 3,000 miles of ocean.
15:55This is going to be amazing.
15:56Well I thought the kids would enjoy it. You know, it would be something we can do.
15:59We've been together for just over a year now. We have a long distance relationship. She has been out here
16:04to see me quite a few times and I've been back to visit her.
16:07Bye. See you later. Bye.
16:09But there are no phone calls today as Lucy has arrived in Florida to visit Nick with her two children,
16:1613-year-old Florence and 10-year-old Henry.
16:18What's up guys?
16:22The family are only in town for a week.
16:25It's been nine weeks since I've seen the kids in Lucy. It's just super important to me to soak up
16:30every minute that they're here.
16:32So Nick's determined to make their visit to the place he loves as special as possible.
16:38He's got big plans to make sure that this feels like their home away from home.
16:43I've got some really cool things lined up for them to do. I hope they enjoy it as much as
16:47I enjoy it. I just want to make it the best time.
16:49Guys, can you come and lay the table?
16:52Florence and Henry, they're my world. It's really important for me that anyone I were to spend time with fully
16:59embraced me and the kids.
17:00So that was hugely important and Nick is wonderful with them.
17:04A bit lively, these burgers.
17:06Not having kids myself, this is a new experience for me.
17:09Making sure that they have a wonderful time and get to do things and see things that they'll never get
17:14to do at that age is memories that they'll keep forever.
17:17So that's what's vitally important for me as well as Lucy.
17:20Thank you very much.
17:21Cheers, everybody. Here's to the first day of a good holiday.
17:25Cheers.
17:26Thank you guys for coming. So let's go and have a good day, eh?
17:29The food's been a hit. Now Nick hopes that this week's plans get the same response.
17:42200 miles south, back in Miami.
17:48Salon owner Sean is gearing up to lead a master class.
17:52We have our full team coming from Brickellland South Beach. We're just waiting on the models to arrive.
17:58The aim of the class is to keep his staff one step ahead in the constantly evolving world of hairstyling.
18:05So we just need to get everything organised and set up.
18:08It's this focus on improvement that's helped Sean's salons grow into the thriving businesses they are today.
18:15We are running a multi-million dollar business.
18:20I was waiting to say Empire but that's a little bit too grand for two salons.
18:23So bring all of them please.
18:26And in Sean's salons...
18:27Just leave these and just start bringing the chairs over because then I'll put them where I need them.
18:32Alright, thanks Gabby.
18:33There's no room for even a hair out of place.
18:36Staff members that will be here are mainly stylists and colourists.
18:40We're looking at about 20 people coming to the class today, which is amazing.
18:43The classroom's ready, but where's the model?
18:50Come on over.
18:52With 125,000 followers on her social media, a bad hair day could be catastrophic for influencer Rosea, Sean and
19:01the salon.
19:02Here's like a short, shorter, rest.
19:06Yeah, which I really like, like more face framing, right?
19:09The new trend Sean is showcasing takes its inspiration from a bygone era.
19:15It'll kind of like be like a 90s revival haircut without all the crazy volume.
19:21The 90s.
19:22The purpose of today's class is to go through a new trend in 90s hair cutting.
19:28It'll probably be about that much coming off.
19:30How does that sound?
19:32Yeah?
19:33We don't like things to be exactly as it was.
19:36We like to like put a modern spin on it.
19:38Keep it current, keep it fresh, not so obvious.
19:41The style agreed, Rosea's on board with Sean's vision for her new look.
19:46I'm so excited that you're going to be our model. It's going to be beautiful.
19:51It's a full house and Sean's top team are eager to see what he's about to deliver.
19:56Okay, welcome everybody.
20:00So five inches, Rosea.
20:03Trends change frequently.
20:06When you have your own staff at a master class, they do hair day in, day out, every day.
20:11So you've got to show them that they haven't seen before in terms of technique.
20:14When something new comes out, clients jump on it.
20:18So that's my first section.
20:20Again, it's a little bit higher than normal.
20:22If you don't stay on top of the trends, your clients will find the hairdresser that does.
20:28Sean Salans might be a success now.
20:31We're going to be cutting this a little bit more blunt.
20:35But it's taken a lot of graft to get where he is today.
20:38I have been in the hair business since 1989.
20:43A long time.
20:45I'm a go-getter.
20:46I've created my own life.
20:47I'm from a working class family and very, very proud of it.
20:52Does it feel really short?
20:54No, it's so. I love it.
20:58Everything I've built myself.
21:00So my presence in the salon, when you have your name above the door, you've got to be present.
21:08It makes all the difference to the staff because it shows that you are involved and it shows that you
21:15are part of the team.
21:17So where are you from, Rosia?
21:18Argentina.
21:19Argentina.
21:20Beautiful.
21:21Diego's from Argentina.
21:23After two hours of cutting and blow-drying, Sean's ready for the big reveal.
21:32Aw.
21:34His team might be won over, but it's model Rosia's verdict that counts.
21:40Amazing.
21:42So...
21:43Fresh new.
21:43Do you like it?
21:44Yeah, I loved it.
21:45I've never had this hair, like this short.
21:48I've never, never thought I'm doing that.
21:51And I'm so happy with the results.
21:54All smiles from Rosia.
21:56But was it mission accomplished for Sean?
21:59Thank you, sweetie.
22:01It went really, really well.
22:03My intention was to show them retro 90s haircut that had been modernized and brought into the 25s.
22:10And we accomplished that.
22:11We nailed it.
22:12The workday's done, but the pressure is still on, as Sean now has his anniversary party to organize.
22:31And the tourist hotspot of Orlando, performing arts school owner Sarah is also holding down the fort at her family's
22:40funeral home.
22:41Doug is sweating himself into oblivion at a cemetery for a few hours.
22:48While her husband's away, Sarah's taking on a job that's best done in his absence.
22:54I'm going to be tidying up this storage room.
22:57This has been on that list for a long, long time.
22:59Let's tick it off my list.
23:01Doug's hectic double work life means the storage room now holds a bit of everything from showbiz props to funeral
23:08supplies.
23:09This is one part of the job that I have yet to do.
23:12Pick up bodies.
23:14Doug, in the middle of the night, has had to sometimes go out and do this by himself.
23:21When Doug told me that he owned a funeral home, I thought he was joking.
23:26I thought I was a bit embarrassed at first as well.
23:28I thought if I said to people, I'm dating a funeral director, it's not very sexy, is it?
23:32I feel awful now.
23:33I'm so proud of him because he's so good at his job.
23:35I feel awful thinking that, but I think I did.
23:38But it's not just funeral home equipment taking up space.
23:42It's just so random.
23:43We're talking about casket and the kneeling, and then we've got Doug's Elvis boots just sitting here.
23:52The more progress Sarah makes, the more unusual the discoveries.
23:58What's this?
24:01I just don't need a black braid.
24:06What is that from?
24:09Does my husband have another secret life that I don't know about?
24:13Doug and I will definitely disagree on some of the things that need to be kept for sure.
24:19And I'm a little nervous because he's going to be standing around at the cemetery for about three hours in
24:26103 degrees.
24:28He's going to be very hot and he might be agitated.
24:30What?
24:32I don't...
24:34I don't know.
24:35Hopefully he won't be too upset with me.
24:37But with the job taking much longer than she expected...
24:41Oh, okay.
24:42Come on, Sarah.
24:43I've got to get a move on with some of this stuff.
24:45Sarah calls for help in the shape of stepdaughter Brittany.
24:49I moved the cots out already to give us a bit of room and I started forming these piles of
24:54trash.
24:54Two sets of hands are better than one as they start to make a dent.
24:59What is it?
25:00Is it Chuck E. Cheese?
25:01No, firehound.
25:02I don't know.
25:03Why?
25:04The plan to have it all done before Doug and Brandon return from the funeral home doesn't work out.
25:09What's going on?
25:10What are you guys...
25:13Hey.
25:14Are you guys finally cleaning the room up?
25:16Yes!
25:16Yay!
25:18Yay!
25:19No, no, no.
25:20I haven't gone through this in probably a year.
25:23No.
25:23Obvious.
25:24A year?
25:25A year.
25:26No.
25:27Do you know what I found?
25:30Your prom...
25:31What?
25:32Your prom picture, which I guess is your high school girlfriend.
25:35Of course it is.
25:371975 junior prom.
25:38After hours of weird discoveries...
25:41All right, what are we doing?
25:42Right, these can go, this can go by trash.
25:45Doug and Brandon get stuck in.
25:48Actually, I think these are actually our wedding.
25:51I think that was your wedding.
25:52This is our wedding.
25:54Give me another.
25:55Yeah.
25:55Sure.
25:56We actually had two weddings.
26:00The first one because we had a little bit of a visa complication.
26:05So when my visa was running out, we got married in our local park by a pastor friend of Doug's.
26:13And on that day, we then announced our engagement.
26:15And three months later, we had a beautiful wedding downtown Orlando.
26:20So it's nice because I get two wedding anniversary presents and meals out.
26:24After all that family graft...
26:27Yeah, plenty more room.
26:28Easier access to stuff.
26:29Even as much room as in here.
26:30Yeah.
26:32Everything's organized.
26:33We got music stuff.
26:34We got our funeral stuff.
26:35Everything we need.
26:36Did we do a good job?
26:37Yep, great.
26:38The room did get a bit out of control because sometimes I'd come back from a gig.
26:42And if I come back at one o'clock in the morning, it's okay.
26:45It's not going to go anywhere.
26:46No one else sees that room.
26:47That room's closed off to the public.
26:49So now it's got structure, which makes her happy.
26:52Happy wife, happy life.
26:54Yay!
26:55The storage room clean up is complete.
26:57I'm exhausted.
26:58I need to lie down.
26:59Yeah.
26:59On the pubes.
27:00It was huge and I really did anticipate to do it on my own, which I absolutely would not
27:04have done.
27:05But with everybody mucking in, we did it.
27:07It looks neater.
27:09It's easier to get in for Doug to get his costumes for his show.
27:12And then all the funeral stuff on the left hand side.
27:15But with a full service tomorrow, their work day is far from over.
27:19We just need to prepare the chapel for a memorial service tomorrow.
27:23Get that all done in a timely manner so Doug can leave for his Elvis gig.
27:32In sunny St. Petersburg, design agency owner Richard and interior designer Melissa are
27:38heading to their multi-million dollar renovation.
27:42I can't believe we're finally done.
27:46Yeah, I'm excited and I'm nervous at the same time.
27:48Yeah.
27:49After spending two years and around two million dollars on this luxury holiday home, they'll
27:54finally reveal it to their clients tomorrow.
27:57It's always so stressful.
27:59As the owners live too far away to inspect the property in person, Richard and Melissa
28:04are shooting a photo presentation for them to view via video call, so they can hopefully
28:10sign it off.
28:11There was a home on the property when they purchased it that was under $400,000.
28:15And then they demolished the home and got to work on building the new structure.
28:21Now this custom-built home has a farmhouse coastal theme with four luxurious bedrooms and
28:28five bathrooms.
28:30The finishing touches are so important because it just makes the house feel more homey.
28:38The brief was to create enough space and enough room for their family friends to visit.
28:44From its top-of-the-range Italian stove to luxury light fittings, every detail has been considered
28:50inside and out.
28:52We needed to create an outdoor living space that really works for them.
28:57It's something that they don't get to enjoy up north.
29:00With the clients in Philadelphia, these photos really need to be convincing.
29:05And the worry is that after spending so much and waiting so long, the finish still mightn't
29:12live up to their expectations.
29:14I think he did a thicker coat to kind of seal it in.
29:18This stone project started off using a natural product that had like some dark coloration.
29:24We did show the client and they weren't happy.
29:27It's a massive concern for me, the wall.
29:29We've had two, three rounds of showcasing through photography to show them the colors and they
29:34weren't satisfied.
29:36Tomorrow's going to be big for us to hopefully get them to a happy place where they love the
29:40color.
29:41While Melissa adds her finishing touches, photographer Brooke is here to take the all-important
29:46shots.
29:48That looks good.
29:49It's a nice composition.
29:50So these photographs, the client, it's going to be the first time they're seeing everything
29:54put together.
29:54So fingers crossed, we're running out of time as far as light goes.
29:58It's critical for us to fight against time and basically the lights go dark around 7.30
30:04this evening.
30:05So we're under the gun.
30:07The house is in a desirable neighborhood close to the city center.
30:11But none of that matters if the clients aren't happy.
30:14So Richard has an eye on every detail.
30:18At this stage of the game, it's always everyone wears as many hats as they have to to get the
30:23job done and I'm never shy to get down to the nitty-gritty of sweeping and whatever it takes.
30:28But the job isn't over, as the pictures still need editing before tomorrow's 9am video call.
30:34It promises to be a restless night for Richard.
30:39I don't think I'll sleep well tonight.
30:41Tomorrow is so important to me, particularly making sure that we have a happy client.
30:45And then in the morning I'll be up bright and early ready to go and get the presentation in order.
30:58Only an hour up the coast in the city of Sarasota, Yorkshireman Nick is playing tour guide.
31:06All right, so who's most excited to see the gators then?
31:09Me.
31:11He's taking his long-distance girlfriend Lucy and her children Florence and Henry to Mayaka Park,
31:17one of Florida's 175 state parks.
31:21Gators are very native to Florida, so they're actually all around here.
31:25Mayaka Park is a bit like the National Trust at home.
31:28So I'm hoping at the park today that there is some alligators there.
31:31We've had an extremely low amount of rain and they obviously like to be in the swampy wetlands.
31:37So I'm a little bit anxious.
31:38We will see.
31:39The alligator gods are shining on us.
31:41All right.
31:42We'll catch some alligators.
31:44We're alligating, honing.
31:46Established in 1941, Mayaka is one of Florida's oldest and biggest state parks,
31:52stretching across 58 square miles of wilderness.
31:58All right, kids, so that is the Mayaka River.
32:00So that runs from inland here all the way out to the Gulf of Mexico south of us.
32:06So when it rains a lot here and we get the big storms, the hurricanes, it floods a lot.
32:10First person to spot the alligator gets the ice cream.
32:14With his local insider knowledge, Nick is hoping to show his visitors a good time and some alligators.
32:21This is where we actually typically see the bigger ones.
32:27But the alligator gods aren't smiling on Nick today.
32:31We've just come to the banker spot for alligators, the bigger ones, and there is nothing here.
32:36Every time I've been, this is where a ton of them are, and the big ones too, and there is
32:40not one.
32:43I can't make it happen every time.
32:45Nick's in danger of losing his audience.
32:51That wasn't funny.
32:53I think a little bit of weed just came out.
32:56There is now a canopy wall which is just a little further down here.
32:59Come on, Lewis. Don't let them beat us.
33:02Making a success of the long-distance relationship adds extra pressure to the time they have together.
33:09Integrating the children into this dynamic is really important to me.
33:13How about that for a few kids, eh? Look at that.
33:15Mayaka Park. Florida from above.
33:18It's for them to see where he lives, experience his life, spend time with him,
33:23because we obviously don't get that time together all the time at home,
33:26so having this intense period of time together is really, really special.
33:37Family photos are all well and good,
33:39but a picture of one of Florida's famous alligators would top the lot.
33:44Henry, do you want to come and see underneath the bridge?
33:46Should have brought some of that steak from earlier, mate.
33:49And they found some, but maybe a little too up close and personal for Lucy.
33:55They can run really fast.
33:56Yeah, they can. If you come straight out, you'd run.
33:58Well, he's looking at us.
33:58I completely overlooked the fact that it was an alligator about five metres from us.
34:03I had that sudden realisation that I am a lover, I have two children.
34:07Maybe we'll go now.
34:09Nick's big day out couldn't have gone better.
34:12It's been a perfect, perfect afternoon.
34:15The weather's been great.
34:17And just having the kids here and seeing the little smiley faces,
34:20it just, it means the absolute world to me.
34:22But now he's looking forward to spending some time away with Lucy.
34:40Down south, in Miami, salon owner Sean's racing against the clock.
34:47Tonight, he's throwing a party for his wedding anniversary with husband Kevin.
34:51It's just been a, it's just been a crazy week.
34:54There's just one problem. Sean still hasn't sorted a gift for Kevin.
35:00I'm kind of late in the game at getting Kevin a gift, but yeah, pressure's on a little bit.
35:05So Kevin's actually quite difficult to buy for.
35:08It really is me finding something and being, this is Kevin, this is what he wants.
35:14Sean needs some inspiration.
35:19My groom's room.
35:21On their wedding anniversary, it might just be a sign.
35:25I've actually never bought him a tie before.
35:29I think this could be a really nice thing for our anniversary.
35:32I think this is a nice gift.
35:35I'll be close to his heart.
35:37Sold.
35:38With an anniversary gift finally in the bag.
35:42Thank you. Have a great day.
35:46Sean's in a rush to get back, or risk being late for his own party.
35:51At home, Sean's timing couldn't be better.
35:56I think I have something perfect to go with this.
36:01Happy anniversary.
36:02Aw, thank you.
36:04They're custom-made Italian ties.
36:07They're so cute.
36:08As you get older, I'm 56, certain anxieties and insecurities do come along.
36:14You're so pretty. Aw, babe. I love you.
36:20But to have that knowledge that someone loves you like that is amazing.
36:24It makes you sleep easy.
36:26With Sean's gift to success, it's time to get a move on.
36:30All right. Let's get ready.
36:32And head to the party.
36:36How are you doing? How are you?
36:37Oh, look how beautiful.
36:39Oh, how fabulous.
36:42So, the location that we're having our anniversary party is actually the place that we got married three years ago.
36:48God, you cut your hair. I love it.
36:51I know. It's so cute, right?
36:53With the celebrations in full swing.
36:56Stop it.
36:57Gorgeous.
36:58Look how beautiful you look.
37:00I'm so excited to celebrate my anniversary tonight with everybody, my friends, my family.
37:06It's time for Sean and Kevin to share a few words.
37:10Here.
37:12Wow, it worked.
37:14I need one of these in the salon.
37:17We met in 2019 and it was love at first sight.
37:24I just wanted to say to my husband, I love you.
37:29I love you.
37:30I'm proud of you.
37:34When you meet your forever person and you're as happy as what I am, what we are, I'm a very
37:41lucky, lucky human being.
37:43Miami has given me so many blessings, so many opportunities from Kevin and I.
37:49We love you and here's to you from us.
37:52Cheers.
37:54If I had moved to Miami, we would never have met.
37:56We wouldn't be celebrating with our friends and family tonight.
38:06In Sarasota, it's date night for Yorkshire man Nick and his girlfriend Lucy.
38:14Table for two please, outside if we can, yeah.
38:17And he knows exactly the place to go.
38:20We've come down to Siesta Quay village to one of Lucy's favourite places.
38:23Her favourite thing here is the grouper bites.
38:25It's something that she's insistent that we go for every single time.
38:28Don't really need a menu.
38:29No, I know.
38:30I feel like I should try something different, but...
38:32With the couple spending up to nine weeks apart, their time together is precious.
38:38I think when I come on my own, it's just nice to rest and recharge and just be together.
38:43When we do see each other, it's usually only a short period of time.
38:46Oh, yeah.
38:47We take every morning, every afternoon, every evening, every day as a date.
38:51The time's valuable and we make the most of it, so that's worth its weight in gold.
38:55Grouper bites.
38:55Thank you so much.
38:56Enjoy.
38:57Thanks, mate.
38:58When I met Nick, I was really happy on my own.
39:02I wasn't particularly looking for a relationship at that point.
39:05Come all this way for your grouper bites.
39:07I hope they're good as usual.
39:10We're good?
39:12Happy Lucy.
39:13I dream about this taste.
39:14Nick and I just hit it off.
39:16He's just incredibly warm, just a wonderful human being, really.
39:19And that's what I fell in love with.
39:21Do a little, like, food wiggle.
39:22These are good, too.
39:24With just a few days until Lucy flies home to the UK.
39:28Aw, thank you.
39:29I've had such an amazing trip already.
39:31Thank you, darling.
39:34When it'll be back to video calls, this time together has been special and has made Nick and Lucy's bond
39:40even stronger.
39:41Enjoy that?
39:42Yeah, it was lovely.
39:43Nice little town on our own, isn't it?
39:45Get your favourite food?
39:46Yeah.
39:47It's just been absolutely fantastic.
39:49Since meeting Lucy, you know, my whole life has changed so much for the better.
39:52You know, although we only get to see each other through a phone a lot of the time,
39:55sometimes all you ever want in life is to be loved back as much as you love them,
39:58and that's exactly what I get from Lucy.
40:00I'll be back.
40:01I don't know.
40:02Two.
40:03She's just a very, very special person, and that long-distance relationship is tough,
40:06but she's worth the wait every time we're together.
40:08Thank you for a lovely day.
40:10You're welcome.
40:1345 miles south in St. Petersburg.
40:17It's the big day for design agency owner Richard and interior designer Melissa.
40:22After two years of hard work, they're presenting the newly finished house to their clients for sign-off.
40:29How are you feeling?
40:30I'm a little nervous.
40:32It's been a long road.
40:33Fingers crossed we'll see what they say.
40:35This is the big moment.
40:37Two years of work comes down to this 30-minute call with the client.
40:40But tastes can change over two years, and after waiting so long, will they still like what they see?
40:47Good.
40:48Good morning.
40:49Nice to see you.
40:49We're super excited here and a little bit nervous to kind of give you guys a first glimpse of your
40:54brand new home.
40:55It's the first time clients JJ and Colin have seen all of their ideas become a reality.
41:02If they're happy, Richard's company will get paid.
41:05Here we go.
41:06Here we go.
41:06Hello.
41:07If they aren't, work will continue and sign-off will stay out of reach.
41:12I love the garage door and how that turned out.
41:16Yeah.
41:17It looks just like the rendering.
41:18Right.
41:20So funny.
41:21We kind of built everything around keeping that pool in position.
41:24The whole house, we kept the whole of the pool.
41:27I think they really enjoyed seeing the swimming pool, how clean it was and how gorgeous the features of the
41:33architecture looked.
41:34Because it was a dirty brown bowl when we excavated the house originally.
41:39There's another area they're especially keen to see.
41:42How do you feel about the stone, how the stone wall came out?
41:45I feel a lot better with where we landed.
41:48I'm glad you guys like it.
41:49The work that we do, these houses take a lot of personal time and effort from everybody involved.
41:55As the meeting comes to an end, will Richard get the thumbs up and the payout?
42:00So what's the overall consensus?
42:02This is unbelievable.
42:04I can't, like, we'll be there immediately.
42:08Booking flights tomorrow.
42:09Wow.
42:10I can't believe it.
42:11It was 100% success.
42:13So enjoyable to see the elation on their faces.
42:16I mean, it's perfect to just walk into.
42:18This is incredible.
42:19Oh, we're so happy to hear that.
42:21Thank you, guys.
42:22And what better way to celebrate two years of hard work
42:27and a sign of even bigger and better things for the company.
42:32This is really a pinnacle for me as far as the benchmark of quality that we're trying to put out
42:37there.
42:37So it's giving me the confidence to get out there and sell more.
42:48In Orlando, Lester-born Sarah and her family are still hard at work.
42:55I am putting the Kleenex out.
42:58They're preparing for a memorial service scheduled for the morning.
43:02I think it's quite upsetting that Doug only has these on the first few rows because that's for the family.
43:07Because, I mean, like, what, people at the back are not going to cry?
43:09But it's time for Doug to finish his day as a funeral director.
43:14You got both sides?
43:16Perfect.
43:17My clock is ticking.
43:18I got kids starting to get dressed.
43:20Oh, that's right.
43:21You got to get going.
43:22Yeah.
43:23And get ready for a side hustle as an Elvis impersonator.
43:27With an hour to go until he's picked up, Sarah is lending him a hand to get into character.
43:33I am shaving off little bits of this ponytail, whatever it was.
43:37But when I found that, cleaning out, I had no idea that you actually bought, like, fake braid.
43:42Our friend that did the Blues Brothers at Universal Studios would have to do the sideburns every night.
43:47And he's found this the best way to do it.
43:50Doug has been performing as Elvis for 18 years.
43:54The Elvis thing is hard to juggle.
43:56It's a good thing I'm a Gemini because I have two complete personalities, and that's the performer, that's the undertaker.
44:02How many people are going to be there?
44:04I don't know. It's a country club event thing.
44:07And over the years, he's fine-tuned every detail of his look.
44:11All right, I'm going to help you do the back.
44:13I'm used to doing makeup because I do all the makeup here at the funeral.
44:17Different kind of makeup.
44:18When I do makeup on people, they're not moving at all, but I'm doing it on me, I'm...
44:23You've got to be careful if you're getting it in your ears.
44:25No, I brush it.
44:26If there's no spirit gum, it just brushes right off.
44:28You look like Planet of the Apes with you.
44:31I know.
44:31I can be in full Elvis garb in about 30 minutes.
44:36The blackened hair, the sideburns, the makeup, the blue eyes, the dark eyebrows,
44:40the eyes, the eyeliner, it's all Elvis.
44:44But with time pressing, Doug needs Sarah to get to those hard-to-reach places.
44:50Oh, I like this. This is fun.
44:52I've done this a few times, haven't I?
44:55Oh.
44:56Keep shaking.
44:57I'm getting confident. Okay.
44:59All right, just find the ears.
45:00I know.
45:01Ears, say ears. That's my favorite word in an American accent. Ears.
45:06Hair and makeup done.
45:07How's it look?
45:09All that's left is the outfit.
45:11I'm not a big Elvis fan.
45:12I've got to admit, my parents were more Beatles fans.
45:16Here you go.
45:17Because it's fitting.
45:18I don't think Doug looks hot in his Elvis outfit.
45:21I know there's plenty of women out there that try to kiss him on the lips when he's doing his
45:27shows.
45:28Should be ridden.
45:29Mm-hmm.
45:30I think he's hot when he's in his funeral suit, being caring, clean, sharp cut.
45:37With Doug ready, just in the nick of time, he can head off into the night for a littlest conversation
45:44and a lot more action.
45:46Your ride's here.
45:47Oh.
45:48We're really late.
45:49Sarah Lee and Doug love story. It is a love story.
45:52How do I look? Do I feel the part?
45:54Gorgeous.
45:54I'm all ready to go.
45:55It was a big gamble. It was a risk to just come here.
45:58Rock and roll.
45:59Break your leg, babe.
46:00All right. I'll call you later.
46:01Bye.
46:02I'm so happy with my life here in Florida.
46:05I'm still that British girl in my heart, but I'm proud and very blessed to live the life that I
46:10do.
46:11Elvis has left the building.