Season 1
Risky Business is a British reality television series produced by Favourite Films in association with ITV West which follows entrepreneur Cosmo Fry and ex fashion editor Lulu Anderson who risk their homes and their relationship on turning a derelict 1970s tax office in Cheltenham into a chic hotel.
The series originally aired in the UK on ITV and Sky. There are six half-hour episodes in the series.
Risky Business premiered in South Africa on DStv's The Home Channel on Wednesday 7 May 2008, at 21h00.
Repeats
Thursdays: 09h00
Fridays: 13h00
Mondays: 17h00
Synopsis
This observational series follows entrepreneur Cosmo Fry and ex fashion editor Lulu Anderson who risk their homes and their relationship on turning a derelict 1970s tax office in Cheltenham into a chic hotel.
It's an ambitious development that seems doomed from the very beginning.
To save money, Cosmo and Lulu and their investors, including Hollywood star John Malkovich, decide to project manage the entire £5-million development themselves.
Never having done anything like it before, it’s a decision they come to regret.
Risky Business goes behind the scenes covering everything from boardroom talks and production of bespoke furniture at Cosmo’s Bath factory to marketing activities and the fitting-out work on site.
As building work delays and their obsession with style is questioned, their relationship is pushed to breaking point.
Episodes
Episode 1
Cosmo and Lulu have put their homes and their relationship on the line to turn a derelict 1970s tax office into a designer hotel. To save money, they have decided to project-manage the entire £5 million development themselves. Never having done anything like it before, it’s a decision they are coming to regret.
Episode 2
Cosmo and Lulu’s dream hotel is now a month late and, with £5 million pounds on the line, they’re trying to avoid their investors’ awkward questions. With both their homes at risk if the business fails, the pressure is on to open a hotel which still looks like a building site.
Episode 3
Today is opening day, but Cosmo and Lulu have been forced to open their dream hotel half-finished. In the race to finish enough rooms, tempers are stretched to breaking point: and with no sign on the front of the former tax office, will their desperately-needed first customers be able to find the hotel.
Episode 4
After a twelve-month nightmare, the Big Sleep hotel is finally open, but Cosmo and Lulu are now faced with an even bigger challenge, finding enough guests to fill the 62 bedrooms. And with a staffing crisis to deal with, the official opening ceremony looks unlikely to end without more arguments.
Episode 5
Financial problems at the hotel mean Cosmo and Lulu advertise for a general manager to try and bring in some badly needed bookings for the struggling £5 million project. Meanwhile the housekeeping department is in chaos and the new head housekeeper walks out on her first day.
Episode 6
Last in series. As morale begins to drop due to lack of bookings, Cosmo and Lulu have to fire a housekeeper, and Cosmo goes back to the bank. With both Cosmo and Lulu’s homes riding on the success of the business, can new manager Barry help to save the £5 million project from failure.