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Revision as of 00:52, 27 September 2005 by 71.111.214.78 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Wife Swap is a reality television program, produced by UK independent TV production company RDF Media, and first aired in 2002 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.
Two families, usually with vastly different social classes, swap wives for a week. The women try to fill their counterpart's role, usually not succeeding particularly well. The adopted family also try to cope with the change - the husband usually fares less well than the children.
Each wife leaves a house manual, explaining 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.
At the end the women meet for the first time and, along with their partners, discuss how they feel the week went. This often descends into personal insults and rows.
A celebrity Wife Swap saw Charles Ingram's wife Diana swap with Jade Goody of Big Brother fame.
The program format is reported to have been sold to various countries around the world. In late 2004 in the US, the format was remade on ABC and copied as Trading Spouses on Fox. 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 Nanny 911 from ABC's Super Nanny.
A spin off of the show, Boss Swap, aired as a series in the UK. A pilot for a US series aired on ABC, but the show never made air. Two other U.S. pilots aired as specials but not ordered to series were Husband Swap and Vacation Swap.
Wife Swap was spoofed in an episode of Hope & Faith with Wyonna Judd guest starring.