Health- conscious middle-class Plummer family - who don't drink, smoke or eat junk food - are devastated when they are sent to Menorca for a boozy beach holiday with the working-class Dochertys. And the Dochertys are equally upset when they are sent to Jamaica with the Plummers, who forbid them to smoke in the house, ban them from drinking - and take them on healthy treks through the rainforest. The two mums, Kim Docherty and Simone Plummer, almost come to blows after Simone bans Kim from smoking in their luxury villa and asks her not to drink alcohol. Tearful Kim, shouts: "Okay, I'm getting seriously p***ed off now. Why can't I have a drink? It's my holiday too. I don't like it when people tell me what I can and can't do. If you tell me I can't smoke, I'll light up right now." It ends with Kim storming up to her bedroom in tears, shouting: "If I light a fag and she says anything I will f***ing punch her. I'm going to smack her one, the stupid bitch." The huge showdown comes after days of bickering. During the first week of the holiday swap the Dochertys from East London - Kim, 38, market trader Danny, 42, Kerry, 15, and Jamie, 12, - take the Plummers to Menorca for a week of drinking, karaoke and lounging by the pool. Although the children in both families get on well, friction between the adults is apparent almost immediately - and a crisis meeting is called just two days into the holidays. Singer and songwriter Simone moans: "We haven't been out of the complex in 48 hours. Making us stay in one place for the whole time is not enjoyable for us." Husband James says of the resort: "It's extremely tacky. It's full of Northerners - like Blackpool in Spain." And by the second week, in Jamaica, the arguments start to get really heated. The Plummers from South East London - Simone, 44, dad James, 48, and children Aliyah, 13, and Jay, 12 - have rented a luxury villa which comes with its own cook. Their idea of holiday heaven is to go for a long walk to a waterfall. James describes it as "paradise" but Kim retorts: "It's horrible, bloody horrible." At the end of the holiday, Dave sums up the experience: "It's nice in Jamaica, but I could go to East London and have a better time with real people. "If I wanted a time like this, I'd go to a clothes shop and sit with the mannequins. They don't eat either."

The Glass family pitch a tent in Newquay, Cornwall, but companions the Theodores aren't happy campers, complaining about conditions on the site and coastal walks. They are much happier on a five-star break to Borneo, and can't understand why the Glasses would rather get out and about and rough it a bit to see more of the country

The fun-loving Littlechilds from Essex treat Devon's Curtis family to a week at their favourite resort in Cancun, Mexico, a lavish complex complete with wild nightclubs and captive dolphins. Then the tables are turned as the Curtises - devout Christians with a penchant for charity work in Africa - repay the favour with a rather less luxurious stay in a tiny Ghanaian village without running water

THE Simpsons meet the Flanders in this great slice of reality TV when the Harrison Wolf family meet the Lawson family. The Harrison Wolf mob love the great outdoors while the Lawsons' favourite holiday activity is gambling. We follow the Harrison Wolf family as they go on holidays with the Lawsons to Las Vegas. For the Harrison Wolf family food is anything they can carry in their backpacks while their hosts prefer the all-you-can-eat buffet. You'll be left dying to see the next installment when the tables are turned and the Lawsons are forced to go camping.

In the rural north-east of England nestles the rustic farm of the Rogerson family. There’s mum Tricia, dad David, 13 year old Daniel, 14 year old James, Louisa 19 and 16 year old Liam. But there’s also their second family - fourteen much loved dogs. The family saves up all year for their annual holiday in Ireland’s Ring of Kerry to compete in a week of prestigious dog shows. This year they’re hoping to win with Bruno, Megan, Alex, Magnum, Chelsea, Pepsi and Brett. According to Dad David “Everything we think, dream, drive to, whatever we do, it involves the dogs”. The complete strangers who will be joining them in Ireland are the streetwise Francis family from Streatham in South-West London. There’s Dad, Derek, Mum, Sonia, 13 year old Dylan, Nyrie, 21, and 15 year old Raphael. Dylan and Raphael MC and DJ for urban group So Solid Kids. Their family holidays are planned around the boys' DJ-ing hobby. And, for the last few years, it's been to clubbing paradise Ayia Napa in Cyprus. Although they are both focused on a hobby, the two holidays couldn't be more different.

The shipshape Riley family are keen sailors who spend their holidays on a boat touring around the south of England. They share holidays with the rowdy Hill family from Liverpool who love a good knees up in Spain’s largest holiday resort Benidorm. The Rileys like to run a tight ship both on holiday and at home. John Riley is step dad to 12 year old George and nine year old Melissa and the father of four year old Fiona. Both John and Vanessa demand good manners at all times “We have to be ordered and we have to be disciplined but that’s how the children can learn what they need to know”. The Hills are a lively family who let their kids do what they want. There is mum Tracy, dad Gareth, Bobby, 8, Natalie, 11, Nathan, 15, Natasha, 16. Although the Banderol holiday involves lots of drinking, they are planned with the children in mind “Our holiday is about the kids really, well, and us as well”

The home-loving Coates family live on a council estate on the outskirts of Bristol. Step-dad Geoff is an industrial cleaner and wife Lorraine is a housewife. They have two daughters; Mary-Anne (16) and Sammy-Joe (15). The Coates family don’t just live in Bristol, it’s also where they like to holiday. Meaning they never have to leave home and haven’t done so for the past 17 years. If they do venture out of Bristol it’s to nearby Weston-Super-Mare, where annual breaks are spent sight seeing, visiting entertainment complexes and riding the local buses. The complete strangers who will be joining them in Bristol are the Wigmore family from Newbury. There’s dad Paul, Mum Sarah, 19 year old Jade and 16 year old Harry. Unlike the Coates family, they like to get as far away from their home town as possible. Traveling the world and experiencing different cultures is the Wigmore families number one priority. But the one country they’ve fallen in love with is Thailand. For the Coates and the Wigmores, their holidays couldn't be more different. For the globe trotting Wigmores, sharing another family’s home is going to be quite a challenge.

The Richardson family live in rural Lincolnshire in the heart of middle England. They all have a strong military background. Mum Lorraine is in the navy reserves, dad John spent 26 years in the RAF and 16 year old Will and 14 year old Eleanor are both at military boarding school. The Richardson’s pride themselves on having a traditional English way of life, well suited to the Texas mindset. And their old fashioned views extend to most aspects of their life. They don’t agree with homosexuality and the men and women have very clear roles. Mum Lorraine and Daughter Eleanor cook the dinner, while John, as chief hunter – gatherer, sits at the head of the table. The complete strangers who will be joining them in Texas are the liberal Blackwood family from London. Anarchist video artists Paul and Emma are both bisexual but were married to each other a year ago in a pagan ceremony known as broom-jumping. Paul’s now step-dad to her three children – ten year old Tanzy, 12 year old Joel and 14 year old Natasha. Gender roles don’t apply in the Blackwood household and Dad Paul is often seen vacuuming the house in drag. On holiday the Blackwood’s visit cities to collect images for their video art. Their favourite destination is San Francisco, the gay capital of America.

If Christmas wasn't stressful enough with your own family, imagine sharing it with someone else's...whilst on your dream holiday. Two Christmas holidays are under the spotlight in this first programme of Holiday Showdown, and they couldn't be more different - extreme sports in the Slovenian snow against luxury living and fun at Disney World, Florida. Fireman Andy Kerr, 44, and his family live in Newton Aycliffe near Durham. Every Christmas they push themselves to the limit on an extreme sports holiday in Slovenia. Before joining the fire service Andy spent 6 years in the Army Air Corp and he runs his holidays like he runs his home - with military precision. While Andy takes charge of physical fitness, mum Caroline, 41, is in charge of catering making sure Andy and their three children Chris, 18, Sean, 16, and Tasha, 14, are well fed and watered. Andy sees his family as "a corporation with a corporate head figure!" The luxury-loving Jones family from Knott-End-On-Sea near Blackpool love winter sun, fast food and the larger than life entertainment of Disney World Florida. Dad Tom, 39, runs a successful locksmith business, and wife Pam, 37, and kids Tom, 16, Nick, 15, and Laura, aged 10, all live in luxury. They like lazing around in the Jacuzzi, watching TV and playing computer games. After Andy's military regime in Slovenia which includes 6am starts and a gruelling itinerary of ski-ing, snowboarding and snowmobiling, the Joneses reveal their Florida holiday, to the horror of Disney-hating Andy but the delight of his family who have always dreamed of visiting the States. As the Joneses plan further revenge, things go a little too far and tempers boil over in the final showdown meal, on New Years Eve.

In the second programme of the series a tee-total, Egyptian loving family team up with a partying, patriotic family who love nothing better than a right old booze up in Tenerife. The Wilson family from the Isle of Mann love to holiday in Egypt, and away from other tourists they immerse themselves in the ancient Egyptian culture. There is step dad Tony, mum Joanne, and 15-year-old Terrance. They live their lives with the view to always helping others, and they carry this abroad with them too. They think Egypt is a wonderful place for a holiday because of the warm and friendly Egyptian people, and they return year after year to enjoy the culture and visit the friends they have made. “All the fun of going to Egypt is to meet the people, eat the food and enjoy all their customs,” says Tony, and that means there won’t be a burger or chips in sight. Joanne says going to a foreign country and hitting the booze “is an absolute waste of time”. Sharing their holiday is the party-loving Kent family from Dover – dad Paul, mum Audra and teenagers Tully, 16, and Lucy, 14. They love British food, plenty of drink, bars and clubs, and find the sun-soaked island of Tenerife the perfect holiday experience. And they only eat English food abroad. “Tenerife is a home from home for us, everything we love about Britain – the fry ups, the roast dinners, the culture is there but with the sunshine,” says Audra. In the southern Egyptian city of Luxor, the Kents are shocked by what they see. Away from the resort centre they visit villages and markets deep in the heart of the ‘real’ Egypt, and the Kents are disgusted by the poverty and general poor conditions that surround them: “You really would think you’re back in the days of Jesus,” says Paul. But it’s the traditional Egyptian food and no beer to wash it down with that pushes the Kents to breaking point causing a confrontational final breakfast. As tears flow the Wilson family are subjected to a torrent of abuse. “The thought of getting up and eating this sh*t for breakfast is making me heave,” says Audra. “I think it’s the most stupid place on earth, I think it’s disease-ridden and skanky.” After a tense final day, it’s time to leave the desert and party on in Tenerife. Paul and Audra are finally able to do things their way, and Paul quickly downs a pint of Guinness in record time. A trip to the local supermarket to stock up on provisions means one thing to Paul Kent…alcohol. The sheer amount of booze he buys astounds teetotal Tony Wilson in particular: “I don’t begrudge anyone having a drink but he has bought enough to sink a battle ship,” he says. “I think it’s a recipe for disaster.” After yet another night out when Audra and Paul get well and truly merry downing six shots of sambuca in a row, the Wilson’s are shocked by their parenting skills when 16-year-old Tully is just as drunk as her mum and dad. The next morning, Tony refuses to carry on with the Kents’ holiday unless he can confront Paul about his drinking. After the chat, Paul feels that he was unable to defend himself against Tony’s comments about him as a parent and heavy drinker, and begins to break down. With the last evening meal ahead, will everyone air their true opinions to each other in a boisterous final showdown?

RECLUSIVE Hare Krishnas, the Falconer-Pughs, live in the rural backwaters of mid Wales. Once a year they make a pilgrimage to Kerala, southern India. The fun-loving Foster family, from Doncaster, meanwhile, love nothing more than socialising with fellow Brits in the home-from-home resort of Magaluf. Mum Sharon, dad Harry, pictured below, 19-year-old daughter Teri and 13-year-old Jade have returned to the resort for 15 years. Material girl Sharon is a shoe fanatic and the highlight of her holiday is blowing the family budget shopping. Her daughters share the same values. "We don't want to be anywhere where there's no electric, we want to look glamourous," says Teri. Holiday Showdown, a programme somehow even more pointless than Loose Women, sees what happens when they accompany each other on their favoured vacations. In terms of contriving conflict, it's the TV equivalent of cock-fighting. As the Falconer-Pughs arrive in Magaluf, Sharon is determined to be the perfect host – but Sharon's idea of fun isn't a hit for the Falconer-Pughs. It's not everyone who wants to bounce semi-nude on an inflatable banana. The Foster girls, meanwhile, are reduced to tears at the prospect of slumming it in India with no make-up. And yet as the Kerala holiday progresses, something of a miracle happens as the Fosters reflect on their own way of life. As they mingle with the locals, what started as the holiday from hell becomes a life-changing journey.

Manoeuvring two families with opposing ideas about life into close quarters and letting the cameras roll may not be the subtlest way to make reality television but, as previous series of Holiday Showdown have shown, it does often make for some compulsively entertaining stuff. And so it is tonight, as the Brown family from Birmingham and the Maybes from Essex take each other on a “dream holiday” for a week. The Browns’ destination of choice is rural Scotland, for a survival holiday in which they construct their own shelters and skin their own food. None of the Maybes are happy about this, least of all their daughter Jade, a trainee beautician who sniffles that “it’s not a holiday; it’s a forest.” Still, with admirable stoicism, they put up with the indignities of outdoor latrines and dour weather and are soon whisked off to their holiday of choice in sunny Lanzarote. Were this a TV drama and not a reality show, the boozy arguments would have begun here; as it is, both families display enough charm and open-mindedness to keep the show from playing to stereotype. The Browns, with one notable exception, actually enjoy eating deep-fried ribs and larking about in the pool; and the Maybes enjoy showing the Browns how to relax, package holiday-style.