Channel 4A kind-hearted millionaire has given away a three-bedroom house in Preston to a teenage mum, completely free of charge.
49-year-old Marco Robinson is worth a staggering £25 million, but his life hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
As a child Marco was forced to sleep rough himself, but now a successful businessman he’s only too eager to share his good fortune with others.
Channel 4Appearing on Channel 4’s Get A House For Free, he gave 18-year-old Holly the gift of a good home in which to bring up her baby, Bethany.
Holly and Bethany had previously been living in a grim, mould infested flat, and this new, comfortable £120,000 home will be life-changing for them.
However, the premise of Get A House For Free has raised eyebrows among some viewers, with some criticising its potentially ‘exploitative’ nature.
Tissues at the ready, you can watch the emotional moment here:
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The show involved 8,000 people in need applying for the flat which Marco whittled down to three desperate applicants; Syrian refugee Mahmood, partially-sighted Jo and Holly.
Despite not winning the ultimate prize, both Mahmood and Jo did receive help with their living conditions.
Marco gifted Jo the deposit to buy her own house and Mahmood was given accommodation for him and his family while they waited for asylum.
However, the idea of pitting vulnerable people against each other on telly for something as necessary as a good home did not sit well with some viewers…
What are @Channel4 thinking!?
"Get a house for free"
Poor people beg a rich person for a house. He chooses 1 of them.
How low will you sink?— Ben Moorhouse (@BenDMoorhouse) August 8, 2017
"get a house for free" sounds like the most exploitative, disgusting idea for a TV "show". Get on your knees, degrade yourself and beg us.
— Rob of house Grad (@trebor_guk) August 8, 2017
the ad for that show Get a House for Free has me absolute sickened, it's honestly poverty porn at its finest
— aunty fah (@crybbygeek) August 5, 2017
Whatever your opinion is about the show, it’s clear something needs to be done to tackle ongoing housing problems in the UK. Although, perhaps a Hunger Games isn’t the most sensitive way to address the issue…
According to Marco:
Very few people can afford to own anymore, with rents and house prices going up. Social housing is a huge issue.
There’s very little government help, it’s near impossible to get a mortgage and even people working full time can’t buy. It’s a mess.
You can watch the trailer for Get A House For Free below:
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All the very best of luck to Holly and Bethany in their new home!
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.