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All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Episode 1

    • March 22, 2005
    • BBC One

    Documentary series exploring the world of pawnbrokers and buy-back shops, following the people who resort to their services just to get by. A regular customer tries to get his girlfriend's jewellery back, while a Big Issue seller is forced to pawn his guitar, and a busker puts his livelihood on the line to pay his rent

  • S01E02 Episode 2

    • March 29, 2005
    • BBC One

    A couple facing a charge of assault against the police have financial troubles - and find themselves under further pressure when their son is excluded from school. Vernon hatches a money-making scheme to supplement his Big Issue earnings and Bob decides there's no future in busking and plans to become a pub singer

  • S01E03 Episode 3

    • April 5, 2005
    • BBC One

    Bob prepares for his first gig, in an Irish pub that perhaps isn't the ideal venue for his particular brand of Country and Western music. A heroin addict tries to kick the habit, and is determined to buy his five-year-old son a birthday present for the first time, while Vernon visits a car-boot sale

  • S01E04 Episode 4

    • April 12, 2005
    • BBC One

    A DJ pawns his decks, then faces a race against time to raise the money to buy them back. Vernon finds demand for the Big Issue at an all-time low while his debts pile up, while Bob's recent disastrous gig has left him completely broke

  • S01E05 Episode 5

    • April 19, 2005
    • BBC One

    Tom and Tara await the birth of their baby, but their financial situation is not improving, while Vernon has nearly all his resources tied up in the buy-back shop. A theatrical family struggle to pay for their children's singing and acting classes - especially since their eldest daughter has a big show coming up

  • S01E06 Episode 6

    • April 26, 2005
    • BBC One

    Bob sees a keyboard in the pawn shop and vows to have it - but raising the money could prove tricky. Martin's partner, Carmel, is furious when he spends their holiday money on heroin, and a couple rely on the pawnbrokers to get them through financial problems caused by debt and redundancy

  • S01E07 Episode 7

    • May 3, 2005
    • BBC One

    A newlywed couple pawn their wedding rings before facing a day in court, a 19-year-old gets a job as a lapdancer to clear her debts and a wheeler-dealer looks for bargains at the buy-back shop

  • S01E08 Episode 8

    • May 9, 2005
    • BBC One

    Tara's baby is born, but Tom's health continues to deteriorate. Bob the busker starts a new business venture with a friend, while Vernon returns from psychiatric care full of hope for the future. Last in series

Season 2

  • S02E01 Episode 1

    • September 12, 2006
    • BBC One

    The critically acclaimed docusoap returns to the "buy-back" stores, pawn shops and streets of Birmingham and Bristol. Indomitable Big Issue seller Vernon Burgess is homeless again, so he's off to seek refuge with the Salvation Army.

  • S02E02 Episode 2

    • September 19, 2006
    • BBC One

    Long-term Big Issue seller Vernon Burgess decides on a career change and invests in collectibles, and the programme follows mother-of-five Tara Walsh's new life in Birmingham, where she has moved to flee her children's alcoholic father. Meanwhile, Tony prepares for his first job interview in 23 years, just as his partner Kath receives a court summons for assault

  • S02E03 Episode 3

    • September 26, 2006
    • BBC One

    A 27-year-old heroin addict plans to see his mother as he looks forward to a rare Christmas outside of prison, and Vernon busks to raise cash for his own festive celebrations. Meanwhile, a gambling addict pawns his watch to fuel a few more hours on the fruit machines. Dean Lennox Kelly narrates

  • S02E04 Episode 4

    • October 3, 2006
    • BBC One

    Andy Williams is forced to pawn £500 worth of his family's possessions after learning his new job will pay monthly, not weekly, and Tony continues to struggle with debt as he splits up with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Nick gets an unexpected boost when he is given two free television sets. Dean Lennox Kelly narrates

  • S02E05 Episode 5

    • October 10, 2006
    • BBC One

    Tony finally gets a job for the first time in 11 years, but misses his ex-girlfriend Kath, and decides to try to win her back. Gaz struggles to find somewhere to live, and Italian Salvatore reveals why he is short of money, despite working as a waiter. Last in series, narrated by Dean Lennox Kelly

Additional Specials

  • SPECIAL 0x1 No Home Special

    • November 27, 2006
    • BBC One

    The lives of Britain's hidden homeless who struggle to find lodging on a daily basis. Kath has moved in with her boyfriend but is facing a court case that could have serious consequences for her as a lone woman with no fixed address, while former heroin addict Gaz gets bad news about his room at a hostel. Shown as part of BBC's No Home initiative.

  • SPECIAL 0x2 Hard Christmas Special

    • December 20, 2007
    • BBC One

    The BBC's Hard Christmas campaign continues with an update on the story of Vernon Burgess, Birmingham's most famous Big Issue seller. After spending last Christmas in a psychiatric unit, Vernon is hping to busk his way to a better Christmas, but he needs a busker's licence, a guitar and a catchy song if he's to succeed. It's going to be another hard Christmas for Vernon - but with a little help from his friends, it might be one to remember.

  • SPECIAL 0x3 Debt Special

    • January 13, 2009
    • BBC One

    The two previous series of Skint introduced viewers to Vernon Burgess. Having spent time in prison and psychiatric care, Vernon ended up homeless and skint. For the debt season, the film crew again visits Vernon. He is selling the Big Issue to supplement his benefits, but this will not clear his increasing debts. An old credit card purchase of his son's bike has caught up with him, and with added interest, it is over a thousand pounds. He also owes the Benefits Office a few thousand in overpaid allowances, and has not paid his water bill for a year. A visit to Birmingham City Council debt counselling service helps, but Vernon has his own plan. He becomes an apprentice bathroom fitter, with plans of starting a business. However, he is still set in his old ways, so things do not go quite to plan.