THE SECRET MILLIONAIRE: Gary Eastwood
Gary Eastwood started his business with a £100 loan from his grandfather. Now his hugely successful scrap metal business is worth £20 million. For nine days Gary lives a secret life in Blackpool where he looks for and is introduced to people who may need his help. He starts work as a volunteer in the local homeless shelter, where he meets a recovering heroin addict whose harrowing story forces Gary to confront the ghosts of his own past. Gary’s sisters were both victims of a heroin addiction that eventually resulted in their tragic deaths.
Sunday 29 March 2009
9:00pm, Channel 4
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I dream of having enough money to retire from my 30 years of nursing, not a million but a few thousand. Having watched Gary on this weeks show i would like a million for a different reason. I have never felt the urge to write about a tv programme before but I was absolutely astounded when I watched this show. Gary looks such a rough diamond, I did not expect his emotional, absolutely genuine response to the people he met and those lives he changed. I sobbed buckets at the two old soldiers and his utter respect and concern for them. The fact that he questioned his role and responsibilities in his own life afterwards made it utterley compelling viewing. I wish him well. Thank god for people like Gary Eastwood.
The best episode of this whole series for sure! This was a geniune guy who wanted to share his success with others but was true to his upbringing and life! I loved the way he dealt with all the people he met, especially the War vets and the family losing their 15 yr old son. The credits at end made me cry as both the child and the guy in the pub died.
This has to be one of the most emotional programmes I’ve ever watched, he was so genuine and kind, I cried so much, especialy at the war veterans.
It was so sweet, God bless Gary Eastwood.
The credits made me cry at the end, not only because the young boy died but also because the man in the pub died which came as quite a shock because I’d almost forgotten about him. It was very upsetting.
It was amazing though to see the relationship formed between the war veteran (I think his name was Jim) and Gary.
Thank God for people like Gary. I’m not ashamed to admit I cried many times during this programme. Gary was/is such a genuine guy with real emotions, who could go through what he has without getting upset at what he saw.
I can only dream of making enough money one day to do the same things he has, which is to help people. It would give me so much pleasure to see their faces as I changed their lives.
Thank you Gary for reminding us all that there is another world out there with people far worse off than us. God Bless you.
Gary is a real human in this strange world where many wants to earn more and more with no consideration for others…Well, I wish most millionaires and wealthy people think of others who could not find a small piece of food to eat like people in Africa … I bow to Gary and his real emotional feeling….May peace upon this world.
Hats off to you Garry. Your attitude, emotion, respect for others and desire to help people, are qualities worth more than any amount of money or success. Several comments on this page end by saying “God bless you”, I have a feeling he will.
hey folks gotto agree with all the comments that are made here, gary is a top man and very genuine,and he showed it all last night, would love to meet him sort out all the problems in thew world, which aint going to happen might meet him alright but sorting out the worlds problems is something, but we could start by changing tasking over america and putting their billions to better use than putting in a black hole in iraq and afghanistan and other places, because he will be no further on in 20 years time than he is now regards garrett
As so many others have said, this really was the best programme in the series so far.
Gary was such a genuine, kind chap, who was so obviously affected by the misfortunes of others. His total honesty shone throughout with everyone he met, and it was one of the most moving programmes I have watched for a long time.
I found myself counting my blessings at the end of it – as well as crying buckets………………
I just had to write and say what a real lovely genuine guy Gary Eastwood is, and salt of the earth. He had real feelings for those people he met, and despite crying several times during the programme, I felt so good afterwards knowing there are many good people out there, Gary being one on them !!
Does anyone know whether the homeless man at the beginning of Gary Eastwood’s “Secret Millionaire” found a decent place to sleep as the result of the show? It would be a dreadful shame if not as he seemed to be in the most immediate need.
Hats off to Gary. I would love to meet him. After thinking there weren’t many good people left he changed my mind. I wish I could tell him that.
What a great guy!
I have just watched the programme which I’d recorded. I found Gary Eastwood’s raw honesty so incredibly moving. The pain in peoples’ lives is so great, you wonder how they keep going. It makes you ashamed of the daily trivia that occupies us and that most of us think is important. It does none of us any harm to be reminded of that – as we sit in our comfortable armchairs watching our colour TVs and then saying what we think via our home computers…
thank goodness for video+. gary eastwood is an incredible human being. i hope to think i would do some good in this world, but, wow, he was incredible. i,m sure his family will also benefit from his ‘jaunt’ in blackpool. i,ve just finished watching the recording, unfortunately i’ve missed the last 10minutes of the recording. anyway of watching again on internet. regards anne
dear sirs i enjoy watching you,re program the secret millionaire very much,it warms my heart to see wealthy people doing something for the less priviledged it never fails to have me bowling my eyes out.what a warm kind caring man gary is hats off to you love.the dream house for sick children pulled on my heart strings alot,i would like to be given the chance to do a sponsered cycle ride for the cause as i think its so very worth while.
Gary Eastwood’s comments abour our war veterans was spot on, we should all hang our heads in shame for not sticking up for our pensioner war veterans.
Because as stated by Gary Eastwood, if it wasnt for this generation, none of us would be here today.
I founded Link-Age/Countrywide to speak out for Britain’s war veterans and younger pensioners, millions of this generation are living in hardship and poverty on a meagre state pension in Britain 2009, 21st century.
Ide like to contact Gary Eastwood, but I dont have an e.mail address, can anybody help me please to contact Gary Eastwood ?, ide feel sure he would help, not with finances, but his name, hese famous now, im not, im just ordinary.
Thank God for people like Gary. I was really moved to watch the program and learn how he gave away some of his money which he really enjoyed doing.
How you found the secret millionnaires is great & I’d like to see more people doing it.
A wonderful program that helps those in need but also teaches those that give that their money can help others much more than they think.
There are lots of ’secret millionaires’ out there, perhaps living next door to you or to me in fact, I’m one of them.
I can hand out ‘rubber’ cheques all over the place but that wouldn’t do anybody any good now would it – don’t get me wrong, I believe all the secret millionaires featured on channel 4 have made a real difference to some very worthwhile projects etc. and they’ve helped at ‘ground level’ too during the time they’ve spent under cover but, would any of them give up their time on a regular basis for perhaps years instead of days???
After being ‘pensioned off’ from my career in banking about 3 years ago, due to disability and walking away from a car crash, in Feb 2008, that nobody should have lived through I turned to volunteering and I’ve never been more happy.
The job satisfaction is enough payment in itself and even though I don’t hand over cheques (real ones I mean, not the rubber sort) for huge amounts I know that what I ‘donate’ in administration and financial expertise is invaluable.
Those who have been reduced to tears by the Secret Millionaire programs or who have maybe been given some food for thought should perhaps take on the role of those under cover and try volunteering for maybe an hour or two each week for a while. In some cases, a few hours donated can be every bit as important as a few thousand pounds – you never know, you might have fun as well!!!
Here’s 3 little sayings well worth remembering:-
Strangers might be the friends we just haven’t met yet.
Many angels don’t have wings.
Little things mean a lot.
This is the first time i have ever been compelled to write in over a television program. Myself & my Girlfriend watched the Secret Millionaire with Gary Eastwood & have to say that we were touched by such a loving & wonderfull man. I am a 6ft 4″ Ex-Body Builder, however i could not controll my emotions & cried like a baby as i just could not belive how big this mans heart was.
Would i want to meet a film star or a pop star, Err no thanks !!!, Gary Eastwood is quite simply a hero, thats who i would be honoured to meet
I am writing in from Brisbane Australia,and along with a lot of other people who watched the episode of(Gary Eastman),I too was brought to tears as I watched this sweet and loveing man touch base with his inner soul and true self.The confronting reality of his past memories,meeting head on with his present day experiences, and the raw healing which followed was both uplifting and soothing to my heart.Both myself and my husband are ex Australian Army,(my husband Vietnam Vet). My Gran Dad was WW1 and my own Dad WW2, so Gary’s Passion for his Gran Dad and what the Soldiers went through was evident.Gary,I’d be in your corner anyday.xx