WHEN bed and breakfast owners John and Joyce Bennett agreed to take part in a television series on relationships, they never realised just how much it would change their lives.

The owners of Bennett's B and B in Patterdown, near Chippenham, were filmed for a new series called Under One Roof, which uses a counsellor to give people's relationships a makeover.

A team of four, including TV psychologist Tracey Cox, examined every inch of the Bennett's everyday lives for three days in March, looking at how they worked and lived together, what differences they had and how they resolved them.

And at the end of filming, the counsellor advised them they needed more quality time together.

Now, with the series just having started on ITV, the Bennett's have taken the counsellor at her word literally and have decided to sell up and go in search of the good life in France.

"It sounds strange, but being in the programme has actually forced us to take a serious look at our lives together," explained Mr Bennett, 67.

"We have put the B and B up for sale and we are off to look for a place in France, where we can spend time together and really enjoy our retirement.

"Ironically, when we first received an e-mail asking us to take part, we thought it was a straightforward series on couples who run bed and breakfast businesses."

Mrs Bennett, 62, said: "We had a few reservations when we learned they would be studying our relationship. But then we thought, why not? We've been married for 21 years, we work very hard and we probably took each other for granted.

"Now, we're really glad we took part. It showed us that we needed to spend more time having fun, away from work and that's what we're going to do. We don't intend to work at all."

Mr Bennett explained how the film crew gave his wife, who likes painting, an allotted time to teach him how to paint watercolours.

As a keen woodworker, he was given a short time to show her how to frame her painting.

"It was clever how they did it. They wanted to see how we communicated and resolved issues and whether we clashed," he said.

Asked whether they are nervous about seeing their relationship broadcast, warts and all, on national television next month, Mr and Mrs Bennett just laughed.

"Not at all. We've been watching the first episodes this week and they're very much like what happened here," said Mrs Bennett.

"The couples are treated very fairly and the message of the series is a serious one.

"It's all about helping couples, not making them look silly.

"Actually, we're quite looking forward to sitting down and seeing what we look like at home it should be fun."

The Under One Roof episode featuring John and Joyce will be shown at 1pm on August 1.

dwaite@newswilts.co.uk