A Shopaholic and a Country Mom Switch Places on the Next Wife Swap  1/31/06

A GLAMOROUS, SHOP-AHOLIC MOTHER WHO BELIEVES TOO MUCH IS NEVER ENOUGH SWAPS PLACES WITH A DEVOUT MOTHER OF EIGHT WHO BELIEVES IN THE SIMPLE LIFE, ON ABC'S "WIFE SWAP"

This week in "Kraut/Hardin," a glitz and glamour-loving mother who lives a life of excess and luxury swaps places with a devoutly religious, country mother of eight who lives the stark and simple life, on "Wife Swap" -- the acclaimed, unscripted reality show that takes us into the intimate heart of the American family home to reveal the extraordinarily different ways families live their lives - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network

Each week from across the country, two families with very different values are chosen to take part in a two-week challenge. The wives from these two families exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover what it's like to live another mother's very different life. It's a mind-blowing experiment that often changes lives forever.

Melissa Kraut (37) is a glamorous Pennsylvania woman who spends tens of thousands of dollars on the latest fashion trends. In order to help support her habit, Melissa works as a "romance enhancement specialist," hosting in-home lingerie parties. But there's little time for romance -- or spending time together -- in the Kraut household; Melissa's shopping and work schedule doesn't give her much time to spend with her husband, Steven (40), or their three sons, Brandon (10), Darren (8) and Bradley(4). In fact, it's Steven who does the cooking and childrearing. The children, who have every toy boys of their age could ever want, are not expected to help around the house.

Melissa travels to the simple Tennessee home of Kathy (42) and David (44) Hardin, devoutly religious people who not only home-school their eight children, but also expect the youngsters to do household chores, which Kathy assigns daily. David grades each child on the performances of those chores, and the grades that they earn allow the children to participate in homespun, fun family activities. Although the children are given a weekly allowance, they have to pay taxes to their parents and to God. The allowance is also used to pay for the children's food when the family goes out to eat. The family's entire wardrobe budget is $500 a year for 10 people.

During the first week of the swap, Melissa must shed her glitz and glamour, clean the family's chicken coop and is forced to donate her revealing, designer outfits to charity. Meanwhile Kathy is thrust into a world of lavish spending and faces a moral crisis when she's expected to host a lingerie party.

In the second week of the swap, when the tables are turned and the wives change the rules, sparks fly when David has to take on all of their mom's responsibilities and he refuses to allow Melissa to send his children to school outside the family home. Meanwhile, Kathy attempts to home-school the kids but Steven defies her rules and puts them back in their regular classes after just one day. She tries to incorporate some of her home made fun activities into the Kraut household in an attempt to show the family that you don't have to spend money in order to have a good time. At the end of the swap, when the couples are re-united, will they find common ground, or are their differences too great to overcome?

"Wife Swap" is an RDF Media production. It was created by Stephen Lambert and is executive-produced by Lambert, Jenny Crowther, Wendy Roth of RDF Media ("Faking It" and "Junkyard Wars") and Michael Davies of Embassy Row ("Who Wants to be a Millionaire"). Stef Wagstaffe is the co-executive producer.

"Wife Swap" is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

Source: ABC Press Release