'We had a film crew following us for about five months’ – Woofs N Scruffs owner on being on Channel 5’s The Estate: Life Up North

A Sunderland businessman has revealed what it was like appearing on Channel 5’s The Estate: Life Up North – a ‘docu-soap' about ordinary people in Washington.
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The four-part series aired back in October last year, however it was pulled from TV schedules before every episode had been broadcast – with the final two added to My5, Channel 5’s on demand service.

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Woofs N Scruffs owners Mark and David Potts-Brown appeared on the show with their two adopted sons Kai and Christopher.

Woofs N Scruffs owners Mark (left) and David Potts-Brown with dog Halle.Woofs N Scruffs owners Mark (left) and David Potts-Brown with dog Halle.
Woofs N Scruffs owners Mark (left) and David Potts-Brown with dog Halle.

He said: "They contacted Woofs N Scruffs as we were expanding, so when they heard that we had adopted two children and were getting married in the same year, they just hit the jackpot with us.

"We had a film crew following us for about five months, they filmed our wedding, they were in our house and in our life with the kids which was very strange I must admit.

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”During the first few weeks, we’d be getting looks off everyone but eventually we just forgot that they were there – I think in the end I was glad for them to be gone.

"It was a nice experience and the kids enjoyed it, that’s the main thing, I wouldn’t have done it if they didn’t.”

Mark added: "We were trying to get across that same-sex couples can adopt children, especially at the ages of six and seven as people don’t like to usually adopt at around that age group.

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"Yes it is a challenge but you can do it so we wanted to get that across to everyone and we’ve had a massive amount of positivity from it.

"To be honest, I was a bit nervous about it but has done us well and it is over with now so we’ll just crack on with our lives now with no microphones hooked up to us.”

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