15/05/2009
The doors of Eggleston Hall have been thrown open once again, to welcome in the most wayward and shameless girls yet. For the first time the eight ladettes who burst through the doors are Australian and have flown around the world to spend four weeks at this strict English finishing school. The chaos begins even before their plane has touched down in the UK and police are called to the local airport following reports of disruptive behaviour on board the flight. The revered tutors of Eggleston Hall thought they had seen it all but the fourth intake presents their biggest challenge yet and chants of ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie’ can be heard as the girls storm up the driveway. Binge drinking, swearing and fighting rear their ugly heads as Eggleston’s no nonsense staff attempt to transform these foul-mouthed, brash, reluctant pupils are transformed into confident, eloquent ladies. Ladette To Lady is brand new and exclusive to ITV1, Tuesdays from 2nd June at 9pm.
The formidable teaching triumvirate are back to whip their latest batch of raw recruits into shape. School principal Gill Harbord has spent her entire career teaching at finishing schools and nothing passes her by. Vice-Principal and cookery teacher Rosemary Shrager is another disciplinarian not afraid to shout in order to be heard. And acid-tongued, etiquette teacher Liz Brewer will drum the bad manners and foul language out of the girls to turn them into ladies of the highest order. They have three terms worth of experience transforming some prime examples of Britain’s binge drinking, sexually shameless, anti-social rebels into respectable ladies. Now this intimidating team are ready for the fresh challenge of helping these Antipodean ladettes leave their debauched ways behind.
During the course the ladettes will learn deportment, elocution, floristry, and sexual etiquette, and their progress will be assessed weekly by the staff through a series of challenges and tasks. They must excel and show a genuine desire to change in order to avoid elimination.
They will also be exposed to a series of elite social events, meeting some of Britain’s most eligible bachelors. Mixing with millionaires, viscounts and gorgeous heirs will come as a cultural shock to the girls whose usual courtship tends to involve swilling shots and flashing the flesh in nightclubs. With Debrett’s as their bible, the girls will negotiate a series of etiquette minefields as they are challenged with avoiding the drunken debauchery, swearing and catfights which have featured in their lives back home.
Each of the girls is attending the school for different reasons. From mine-worker Sarah and binge-drinking Zoe, to rebel Skye and stripper Nicole, they are all reluctant pupils. But as the expulsions whittle the group down gradually they become convinced that becoming more ladylike will help them with their confidence, careers and relationships. However, none realise just how challenging and emotional the process of change can be.
Click here to download the Ladette to Lady Press Pack (.doc)
