The Secret Millionaire

Three very different Irish millionaires turn their back on their day-to-day lives and go undercover in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Dublin, Cork and Dundalk. Their search, for genuine local Irish charities, brings them face-to-face with some of our most pressing social problems including suicide, poverty, drugs, disability and more. On their journey, they find extraordinary Irish people working selflessly everyday to help people in their own communities. Each millionaire then springs the ultimate surprise when they give them thousands of Euro of their own money and reveal themselves as a Secret Millionaire. Moving and compelling, this Irish production of the Secret Millionaire shows us the incredible difference people can make in their own communities and how successful people can make a positive change.

Episodes

Episode 1 of 3 - John Concannon

Millionaire benefactor John Concannon says goodbye to his comfortable lifestyle and goes undercover in one Ireland's most disadvantaged areas to find people who need his help. John will spend eight days in one of the poorest areas of West Dublin, where high unemployment drug and alcohol abuse are every day facts of life. He comes face-to-face with the realities of urban poverty in Ireland and unearths a hidden emotional trauma that will change his life forever. We meet those local heroes working tirelessly in their communities to help those in need in spite of rampant social problems now made worse by the economic crisis. Millionaire John Concannon proves that helping others can make a big difference in people's lives. His own experience stands out as he puts his day-to-day life behind him and engages wholeheartedly with the charities.

From a modest background John built up his plastics manufacturing company, JFC, into one of the most successful companies in Ireland. But John wasn't always wealthy. He dropped out of school at 13 to help his father on their small family farm in Kilconly Co Galway. In 1987, John came up with an idea that was to change his life dramatically and an appearance on the Late Late show gave him the boost he needed. JFC is now a plastics multinational empire. It produces products for the agriculture and marine industry and they sell globally. With factories in Ireland, the UK, South Africa and Poland, John now employs over 250 people including his brother and his four children.

Episode 3 of 3 - John Fitzpatrick

Successful hotelier John Fitzpatrick swaps his lavish New York lifestyle for the streets of Dundalk and goes on search of people he might be able to help.

Undercover as a returned immigrant making a documentary about the recession, he visits some of Ireland's most disadvantaged estates to find charities in need.

John spends eight days far removed from creature comforts and comes face-to-face with the realities of social disadvantage and poverty in Ireland in a way that he never thought possible. His experiences have changed his life forever.

Motivated by the memory of his parents, he sets his mind to searching for charities working with children. He finds a number of excellent projects run by incredible people dedicated to keeping kids off the streets.

Again we meet those local heroes working tirelessly in their communities to help those in need in spite of rampant social problems now made worse by the economic crisis.

Millionaire John Fitzpatrick proves that helping others can make a big difference in people's lives. His own experience stands out as he puts his day-to-day life behind him and engages wholeheartedly with the charities.

Episode 3 - Nadim Sadek
Nadim Sadek is an Irish born millionaire, living on his luxury private island, Inish Turk Beg, off the coast of Mayo. But now Nadim is swapping his paradise island for a small house in one of the poorest areas of inner city Cork. For eight days he'll live alone and for the first time in his life he'll try and fend for himself on the minimum wage. Nadim will go undercover in the community, secretly working side by side with the people he might just be able to help. At the end of his stay, he'll give away thousands of euro of his own money and only then reveal himself as The Secret Millionaire.

Nadim Sadek was born in Ireland to an Egyptian father and an Irish mother. His career has taken him all over the world. He has made a small fortune from marketing and developing strategies for some of the world's biggest brands. Now he lives on his private Island, Inish Turk Beg in Clew Bay off the coast of Mayo. The island itself has become Nadim's latest brand. As well as offering hospitality, he produces Single-malt Irish whiskey, music from The Inishturkbeggers and art exhibitions. But it's the music that's most important to Nadim.

This love of music leads him to search specifically for charitable projects in Cork that use music to help the people in disadvantaged communities. Along the way he encounters other charities that challenge his own personal views of charity, religion and giving in general. The personal transformation for Nadim is significant and immensely rewarding, not just for him but for the people he meets too.