Format change planned for next 'Wife Swap'

The next series of Channel 4's Wife Swap will see a change in the format - for the first time, all of the contestants will know each other before appearing on the show.

In an effort to keep the show fresh, producers are now giving members of the public the chance to try and change the lives of friends, relatives and neighbours.

"It could be really good fun," series producer Helen Richards told The Mirror. "It might be that you've always wanted to shape up your sister's chauvinistic husband because she's always moaning about him but never does anything about it.

"Maybe you want to show someone how to discipline their wild kids. Or is someone far too strict with their children and you want to inject some fun into their lives?

"Some of the nominations will be for people they genuinely dislike, others will be for those they really want to help.

"Either way, there's an awful lot at stake. It will probably be much harder to take advice from people you know. Emotions are going to run extremely high."

The new series begins in the autumn.