A South Shields mother and son are set to appear on the small screen this weekend to show off their motorhome.
Dionne and James Riley are set to appear on Million Pound Motorhomes on Channel 5 with their Fiat Ducato named Tilly this Sunday night. They were selected to appear on the show after James set up a Facebook group in September 2019 called 'Motorhome Happiness' which has since gained a following of 58,000 people.
His mam had only owned motorhome Tilly for a matter of months when James launched the group, after brother Kevin bought it as a gift, travelling to Burnley in Lancashire to pick it up. The name Tilly came from James's 13-year-old nephew, Dainton Ross, who asked Dionne if he could name the leisure vehicle.
Read more: You can now stay in a motorhome by three Northumberland beaches
James, who was diagnosed with autism and ADHD at 25, says that he set up Motorhome Happiness after he was bullied for his spelling mistakes in similar online spaces. The show follows his first meet up of the year with other motorhome owners in Worcester, and though he loves getting people together, the nerves were kicking in ahead of the meet.
James said: "I was bullied on a few motorhome groups for my spelling mistakes and it was very upsetting for me. I didn't want to post things on motorhome groups and a friend of mine said, 'Hey James, go make your own motorhome group'. I did and now it's the best motorhome group on Facebook to date."
The 34-year-old decided to apply for the show when the producers posted in the group looking for people who were interested in the show. He said: "We thought we wouldn't get on but the producers really liked the background of our story, they liked the group, they liked what we do so they accepted us which was amazing to hear - it's been a very exciting few months!"
James and his mam, who is his full time carer, had a blast, though it wasn't his first time on TV. He said: "We absolutely loved it. I'd been on TV before with my motorhome on BBC Look North and on the radio for BBC Newcastle too."
James started hosting rallies through Motorhome Happiness for motorhome and campervan owners last year, and there have been three so far. The first meet in July last year had 150 vans with 300 people, raising more than £1,000 for WAVES Additional Needs Support Group in South Tyneside.
They have another planned for Gretna Green at the end of August, which James can't wait for, and have recently travelled to Nottingham and the New Forest. However, James loves the North East, citing three destinations on the Northumberland coast - Berwick, Seahouses and Bamburgh - as his favourites.
Million Pound Motorhomes airs at 8pm on Sunday. It will be available on My5 shortly after.
Have you travelled around the North East in a motorhome or campervan? Let us know!
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