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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
'''''Wife Swap''''' is a ] program, produced by ] independent TV production company ], and first aired in ] on ] in the United Kingdom.
{{Use British English|date=July 2012}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2011}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Wife Swap.png
| genre = ]
| narrated =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 11<ref name="episodes">{{cite web |url=https://www.banijayrights.com/programmes/13430 |title=Wife Swap UK |website=] |accessdate=22 March 2023}}</ref>
| num_episodes = 66 <small>(inc. 13 specials)</small><ref name="episodes"/>
| runtime = 60 minutes <small>(inc. adverts)</small>
| company = RDF Television<ref name="episodes"/>
| network = ]
| first_aired = {{Start date|2003|01|07|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2017|06|15|df=y}}
}}


'''''Wife Swap''''' is a British ] programme that aired on ] from 7 January 2003 to 15 June 2017.
Two families, usually with vastly different ]es, swap wives for a week. The women try to fill their counterpart's role, usually not succeeding particularly well. The adopted family also tries to cope with the change. However, the husband usually fares worse than the children.


In the programme, two families, usually from different ]es and ], swap wives/mothers &ndash; and sometimes husbands &ndash; for two weeks. In fact, the programme will usually deliberately swap wives with dramatically different lifestyles, such as a messy wife swapping with a fastidiously neat one. Despite using a phrase from the ], couples participating in the show do not share a bed with the "swapped" spouse while "swapping" homes.
Each wife leaves a house manual which explains their role in the family and the duties they hold. When they swap, they attempt to keep up with the demands set by their new lifestyle, which usually includes a greatly increased (for one, decreased for the other) level of housework. Half way through the week the roles are somewhat reversed with the family having to abide by the rules set by the new wife.


In November 2009, Channel 4 announced that they had cancelled ''Wife Swap'', and no new episodes of the show would be made for the channel.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a186592/channel-4-axes-wife-swap-how-clean.html |title=Channel 4 axes 'Wife Swap', 'How Clean' |author=Mayer Nissim |date=12 November 2009 |access-date=10 June 2010 |work=]}}</ref> The final episode was broadcast in December 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/wife-swap/episode-guide/series-10/episode-5 |title=Wife Swap - The Carters and the Dales |publisher=] |access-date=7 October 2010}}</ref>
At the end, the women meet for the first time and along with their partners, discuss how they feel about the two weeks. This often descends into personal insults and rows.


It was announced that ''Wife Swap'' would return for a special ] episode to air on 15 June 2017 on Channel 4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-06-15/what-time-is-wife-swap-brexit-special-on-tv|title=What time is Wife Swap: Brexit Special on TV?|date=15 June 2017|work=]|access-date=15 June 2017}}</ref>
A celebrity ''Wife Swap'' saw ]'s wife, Diana, swap with ] of '']'' fame.


==Spin-offs== ==Synopsis==
During the first week, the new wife must adhere to exactly the same rules and lifestyle of the wife she is replacing. Each wife leaves behind a house manual which explains her role in the family and the duties she holds. This almost always determines what rules the wives will apply at the "rules change ceremony".


During the second week, the new wives are allowed to establish their own rules, and their new families must adhere to these new household rules. It usually takes a while for the families to adjust to this policy, meanwhile the wives disburse a sum of money to the family they have become involved with, to do what the wives see fit to spend it on.
The program format is reported to have been sold to various countries around the world. In late ], in the ], the format was remade on ] and copied as '']'' on ]. Some episodes of the American version of ''Wife Swap'' were shown on British television (also in late 2004). Along with another "steal", was FOX's '']'' from ABC's '']''.


At the end of the two weeks, the two couples all meet together for the first time, and the wives, along with their husbands, discuss how they felt about the two weeks. This often descends into personal insults and has degenerated into violence at least twice. More often than not, however, both families reach toward a middle ground and express that they have learned from the experience. Sometimes, the table meeting is a very heartfelt and emotional time for the two families who sometimes have complete and mutual respect for each other. A few weeks later, the cameras return to record what changes have occurred since the wife swap.
A spin-off of the show, ''Boss Swap'', aired as a series in the U.K. A pilot for a U.S. series aired on ABC, but the show never made air. ''Husband Swap'' and ''Vacation Swap'' pilots were also aired in the U.S., but were not ordered to series.


==Transmissions==
''Wife Swap'' was spoofed in an episode of '']'' with ] guest starring.
{{Expand section|date=August 2024}}
===Series===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Series !! Start date !! End date !! Episodes<ref name="episodes"/>
|-
| '''1''' || 7 January 2003 || 28 January 2003 || 4
|-
| '''2''' || 30 September 2003 || 4 November 2003 || 6
|-
| '''3''' || 29 June 2004 || 3 August 2004 || 6
|-
| '''4''' || 19 October 2004 || || 6
|-
| '''5''' || || || 6
|-
| '''6''' || || || 4
|-
| '''7''' || || || 5
|-
| '''8''' || || || 10
|-
| '''9''' || || || 9
|-
| '''10''' || || || 5
|-
| '''11''' || || || 6
|}


==Legal issues== ===Specials===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Date !! Entitle
|-
| 30 September 2003 || Changed Our Marriage
|-
| 11 November 2003 || Celebrity Special
|-
| 29 June 2004 || Changed Our Marriage
|}


== International versions ==
In November of 2005, a participant on the show sued ABC network for trading his wife for a gay man. He accused ABC of being dishonest, not allowing him contact with his own wife, and making him miss college classes. He is suing for over $10,000,000.
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Country
! Title
! Network
! First airdate
|-
| {{Flag|Australia}}
| '']''
| ]<br>]
| 9 January 2012
|-
|{{Flag|Belarus}}
|''Обмен Жёнами''<br>Obmen Zhjonamy
|]
|24 September 2011
|-
| {{Flag|Belgium}}
| ''De Nieuwe Mama''
| ]
| ?
|-
| {{flag|Brazil}}
| '']''
| ]
| 14 February 2019
|-
| {{Flag|Bulgaria}}
| Смени жената<br>''Smeni zhenata''
| ]
| 1 March 2017
|-
| {{Flag|Chile}}
| ''¿Quién cambia a quién? Intercambio de Esposas''
| ]
| 14 March 2006
|-
| {{Flag|Czech Republic}}
| '']''
| ]
| 5 September 2005
|-
| {{Flag|Denmark}}
| ''Par på prøve''
| ]
| 6 October 2003
|-
| {{Flag|France}}
| '']''
| ]
| 13 January 2004
|-
| {{Flag|Germany}}
| '']''
| ]
| 14 July 2003
|-
| {{Flag|India}}
| '']''
| ]
| January 2011
|-
| {{Flag|Italy}}
| '']''
| ]<BR>], SKY Vivo<br>]
| 2004<br>2005-2008<br>20 May 2020
|-
| {{Flag|Israel}}
| ] <br>''Ima Mahlifah''
| ] (])
| 2005
|-
| {{Flag|Netherlands}}
| '']''
| ]
| ?
|-
| {{Flag|New Zealand}}
| Wife Swap NZ
| ]
| 30 May 2019
|-
|{{Flag|Norway}}
|Konebytte
|]
|22 November 2004<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nasjonalbiblioteket: Hadeland, mandag 22. november 2004 |url=https://www.nb.no/items/8d13e30cded731131adaf36fac3c6d50?page=21&searchText=konebytte |access-date=15 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Flag|Poland}}
| rowspan="2" | ''Zamiana żon<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2017-11-30 |title="Zamiana żon" nowością w wiosennej ramówce TTV |url=https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/zamiana-zon-nowoscia-w-wiosennej-ramowce-ttv |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=www.wirtualnemedia.pl |language=pl}}</ref>''
| ]<ref name=":0" />
| 7 June 2007<ref>{{Cite web |title=TV4 pilotuje 'Zamianę żon' |url=https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/tv4-pilotuje-zamiane-zon |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=www.wirtualnemedia.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
|]<ref name=":0" />
|19 April 2018<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-08 |title="Zamiana żon" hitem TTV. Premiery programu ogląda 368 tys. widzów, a powtórki - 233 tys. |url=https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/zamiana-zon-hitem-ttv-reality-show-oglada-368-tys-widzow |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=www.wirtualnemedia.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
|-
| {{Flag|Romania}}
| '']''
| ]
| 2006
|-
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|Russia}}
| rowspan="2" |''Обмен Жёнами''<br>Obmen Zhjonamy
|]
|9 July 2011
|-
| Yu TV
| 2017
|-
| {{Flag|Serbia}}
| '']<br>Menjam ženu''
| ]<br>]
| July 2006
|-
| {{Flag|Slovakia}}
| ''Zámena manželiek''
| ]
| 6 September 2004
|-
| {{Flag|Spain}}
| '']''
| ]
| 5 February 2010
|-
| {{Flag|Ukraine}}
| ]<br>''Minyayu zhinku''
| ]
| 8 March 2010
|-
| {{Flag|United States}}
| '']''
| ]<br>]
| 26 September 2004
|}


== Spin-offs ==
=="Reality TV" vs Reality==
=== ''Boss Swap'' ===
A spin-off, ''Boss Swap'', was broadcast as a series in the UK.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/abc-greenlights-two-wife-swap-spinoffs-husband-swap-and-boss-swap-2665.php |title=ABC greenlights two 'Wife Swap' spinoffs: 'Husband Swap' and 'Boss Swap' |publisher=Reality TV World |date=28 June 2004 |access-date=2010-06-09}}</ref> A pilot for a US series was shown on ABC but was not commissioned. ''Husband Swap'' and ''Vacation Swap'' pilots were also broadcast in America, but were not picked up for series production. In the Netherlands and Belgium Vacation Swap episodes, are produced as "Jouw vakantie, mijn vakantie".


At least once a husband and a live-in boyfriend swapped while the women stayed with their families.
Regardless of its popularity, there are many critics of the show and of reality television, in general. There are those whom feel that the show resorts in attempts at exploitation by , at the expense of other members of the families involved. Others feel that the mechanisms of creative editing that are commonly used may lead to misrepresentation and unfair portrayals of some of the parties involved, exploiting the very human aspects of the interactions simply to entertain the audience while leaving the involved parties open to unfair scrutiny or ridicule. (Maybe we can expand on this using published sources, as suggested by DanielCD)


=== ''X-Change'' ===
==External links==
There is an ongoing series on ], in which the people being swapped are mostly the eldest children (or in rare cases, youngest or all children) of between 9–16 years old. One of these comes from an affluent family, but with behavioural and legal issues, in which they must surrender all technological gadgets and money (except for the allowances left by the opposite family, or any money they earned or collected). The other is from a poorer agricultural village, often orphaned or with single parents. This show also has celebrity mentors making videos of support for the participants.
*
*
*
* {{Google Video Search1|Wife+Swap|Wife Swap}}
*


In the Netherlands the same format is being used in ]'s ''Puberruil'', broadcast on NPO3. The children are 15–18 years old. Most of the time Dutch children are swapped, but there are also episodes named "Puberruil buitenland" where Dutch children are swapped with children in countries like India, Brazil and Sierra Leone. Longer episodes are called "Puberruil Xtra".
]

]
== In popular culture ==
]
*In 2007, ]'s ] series '']'' included a musical parody of the USA version of ''Wife Swap'', under the title ''Spouse Change''.
*In '']'', Alice Tinker mentions going on the programme.
*In 2009 during a week of '']'', ] and ] swapped lifestyles with ] and ] for a week.
*The programme was parodied in the children's programme '']'', where it was called Historical Wife Swap. In the sketch, wives from different positions, such as a ] and a ], or a ] and a peasant would swap, showing how these people lived. There were seven sketches in total, appearing in series 1–5.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0392948}}

{{Wife Swap}}

]
]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 13:10, 23 August 2024

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Wife Swap" British TV series – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
2003 British TV series or programme
Wife Swap
GenreReality
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series11
No. of episodes66 (inc. 13 specials)
Production
Running time60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production companyRDF Television
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release7 January 2003 (2003-01-07) –
15 June 2017 (2017-06-15)

Wife Swap is a British reality television programme that aired on Channel 4 from 7 January 2003 to 15 June 2017.

In the programme, two families, usually from different social classes and lifestyles, swap wives/mothers – and sometimes husbands – for two weeks. In fact, the programme will usually deliberately swap wives with dramatically different lifestyles, such as a messy wife swapping with a fastidiously neat one. Despite using a phrase from the swinging lifestyle, couples participating in the show do not share a bed with the "swapped" spouse while "swapping" homes.

In November 2009, Channel 4 announced that they had cancelled Wife Swap, and no new episodes of the show would be made for the channel. The final episode was broadcast in December 2009.

It was announced that Wife Swap would return for a special Brexit episode to air on 15 June 2017 on Channel 4.

Synopsis

During the first week, the new wife must adhere to exactly the same rules and lifestyle of the wife she is replacing. Each wife leaves behind a house manual which explains her role in the family and the duties she holds. This almost always determines what rules the wives will apply at the "rules change ceremony".

During the second week, the new wives are allowed to establish their own rules, and their new families must adhere to these new household rules. It usually takes a while for the families to adjust to this policy, meanwhile the wives disburse a sum of money to the family they have become involved with, to do what the wives see fit to spend it on.

At the end of the two weeks, the two couples all meet together for the first time, and the wives, along with their husbands, discuss how they felt about the two weeks. This often descends into personal insults and has degenerated into violence at least twice. More often than not, however, both families reach toward a middle ground and express that they have learned from the experience. Sometimes, the table meeting is a very heartfelt and emotional time for the two families who sometimes have complete and mutual respect for each other. A few weeks later, the cameras return to record what changes have occurred since the wife swap.

Transmissions

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2024)

Series

Series Start date End date Episodes
1 7 January 2003 28 January 2003 4
2 30 September 2003 4 November 2003 6
3 29 June 2004 3 August 2004 6
4 19 October 2004 6
5 6
6 4
7 5
8 10
9 9
10 5
11 6

Specials

Date Entitle
30 September 2003 Changed Our Marriage
11 November 2003 Celebrity Special
29 June 2004 Changed Our Marriage

International versions

Country Title Network First airdate
 Australia Wife Swap Australia LifeStyle You
Seven Network 		9 January 2012
 Belarus Обмен Жёнами
Obmen Zhjonamy 		ONT 24 September 2011
 Belgium De Nieuwe Mama vtm ?
 Brazil Troca de Esposas RecordTV 14 February 2019
 Bulgaria Смени жената
Smeni zhenata 		bTV 1 March 2017
 Chile ¿Quién cambia a quién? Intercambio de Esposas Canal 13 14 March 2006
 Czech Republic Výměna manželek TV Nova 5 September 2005
 Denmark Par på prøve TV3 6 October 2003
 France On a échangé nos mamans M6 13 January 2004
 Germany Frauentausch RTL II 14 July 2003
 India Maa Exchange Sony January 2011
 Italy Cambio moglie Fox Life
LA7, SKY Vivo
NOVE 		2004
2005-2008
20 May 2020
 Israel אמא מחליפה
Ima Mahlifah 		Channel 2 (Keshet) 2005
 Netherlands Jouw vrouw, mijn vrouw RTL4 ?
 New Zealand Wife Swap NZ TVNZ 2 30 May 2019
 Norway Konebytte TV3 22 November 2004
 Poland Zamiana żon TV4 7 June 2007
TTV 19 April 2018
 Romania Schimb de mame Prima TV 2006
 Russia Обмен Жёнами
Obmen Zhjonamy 		STS 9 July 2011
Yu TV 2017
 Serbia Мењам жену
Menjam ženu 		RTV Pink
Happy TV 		July 2006
 Slovakia Zámena manželiek TV Markiza 6 September 2004
 Spain Me cambio de familia Cuatro 5 February 2010
 Ukraine Міняю жінку
Minyayu zhinku 		1+1 8 March 2010
 United States Wife Swap ABC
CMT 		26 September 2004

Spin-offs

Boss Swap

A spin-off, Boss Swap, was broadcast as a series in the UK. A pilot for a US series was shown on ABC but was not commissioned. Husband Swap and Vacation Swap pilots were also broadcast in America, but were not picked up for series production. In the Netherlands and Belgium Vacation Swap episodes, are produced as "Jouw vakantie, mijn vakantie".

At least once a husband and a live-in boyfriend swapped while the women stayed with their families.

X-Change

There is an ongoing series on Hunan Television, in which the people being swapped are mostly the eldest children (or in rare cases, youngest or all children) of between 9–16 years old. One of these comes from an affluent family, but with behavioural and legal issues, in which they must surrender all technological gadgets and money (except for the allowances left by the opposite family, or any money they earned or collected). The other is from a poorer agricultural village, often orphaned or with single parents. This show also has celebrity mentors making videos of support for the participants.

In the Netherlands the same format is being used in KRO's Puberruil, broadcast on NPO3. The children are 15–18 years old. Most of the time Dutch children are swapped, but there are also episodes named "Puberruil buitenland" where Dutch children are swapped with children in countries like India, Brazil and Sierra Leone. Longer episodes are called "Puberruil Xtra".

In popular culture

References

  1. ^ "Wife Swap UK". Banijay. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. Mayer Nissim (12 November 2009). "Channel 4 axes 'Wife Swap', 'How Clean'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  3. "Wife Swap - The Carters and the Dales". Channel 4. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  4. "What time is Wife Swap: Brexit Special on TV?". Radio Times. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  5. "Nasjonalbiblioteket: Hadeland, mandag 22. november 2004". Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  6. ^ ""Zamiana żon" nowością w wiosennej ramówce TTV". www.wirtualnemedia.pl (in Polish). 30 November 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  7. "TV4 pilotuje 'Zamianę żon'". www.wirtualnemedia.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  8. ""Zamiana żon" hitem TTV. Premiery programu ogląda 368 tys. widzów, a powtórki - 233 tys". www.wirtualnemedia.pl (in Polish). 8 May 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  9. "ABC greenlights two 'Wife Swap' spinoffs: 'Husband Swap' and 'Boss Swap'". Reality TV World. 28 June 2004. Retrieved 9 June 2010.

External links

Wife Swap
International versions
Categories: