Devised by Stephen Lambert of RDF Media, the programme's original concept was "a modern-day Pygmalion", referring to the George Bernard Shaw play in which flower girl Eliza Doolittle is trained to appear like an aristocrat.

The second episode was a straight use of the Pygmalion concept as a young working-class woman, Lisa Dickinson-Grey, was taught how to behave in high society by Tim Walker, The Daily Telegraph's Mandrake diarist.

The series ended on Boxing Day 2006 with faker Sharon Pallister transforming from cleaner to burlesque performer and featured Wayne Sleep, Immodesty Blaize and Dita Von Teese.

The episode in question had run into trouble before it even aired, with regular sponsors Smirnoff refusing to be associated with its scenes of "irresponsible drinking", but apart from an article in the Cambridge University newspaper Varsity, Foley did not pursue the matter further.

A 2002 episode in which punk singer Chris Sweeney was trained as an orchestral conductor won the Golden Rose of Montreux in 2003 as well as the Press Prize at the same festival.