Louie Spence takes on unlikely new career that is ‘best therapy you could do’

“It may be one of the best therapies you could ever do,” Louie Spence says of working in care homes. 

The star of Pineapple Dance Studios, who has become a TV regular, has taken on a new venture, and perhaps an unlikely one – bringing joy to pensioners. 

Yet amid his desire to bring happiness to everyone, he has also found an aid to his own anxiety and depression – struggles that saw him quit in episode one of Celebrity SAS 2025.

Through his YouTube series, Louie Spence in Care, which sees him take on his self-created role of CEO of Entertainment at Country Care Group homes, Louie brings laughter to all who are lucky enough to have a bit of his time, including viewers at home. 

“Just giving back to these most amazing people who are so funny, joyous and honest, has been one of the best things I’ve ever done,” he says. 

Already, with episode three dropping on Tuesday (27 January), it’s clear to see that Louie’s view of death is a surprisingly comforting one. 

‘As much as life should be celebrated, death should too’

He agrees, explaining: “I think as you get older, I’m 56, nearly 57 this year, still a long way to go, I hope, but the fact is we’re all going there. We’re all going to get there.”

Louie says that his mum’s death in 2012 “cemented the fact that we’re all going to go and we’ve just got to try and celebrate life”. 

He explains that he feels fortunate to have family who can maintain a sense of humour during such moments of hardship. 

“They are still very much present in our lives and we keep them alive by joking about the fact that maybe they’ve died and what happened when they were alive.

“As much as life should be celebrated, death should too,” he says. 

‘It’s time-sensitive’

In 2013, Louie’s dad moved in with him and his partner, Leto Fernandez. His dad moving in also led Louie to create his Friday Pensioners’ Club, which sees him bring together family members and friends who have lost someone, allowing them to support one another. 

“We laugh, we cry, we do medical appointments, banking, get TV licenses, and we go on holiday once a year to our house in Spain.”

He says his desire to do a series in care homes came about because many of his family work in care locally. Wanting to give something back himself, alongside one of the directors he worked with at Pineapple, he felt compelled to “bring as much joy and happiness” as possible to the care homes. 

Speaking about getting the show commissioned, which he says has had an “incredible” response so far, Louie explains: “If a TV channel wants to pick it up afterwards, then that’s great. But it’s time-sensitive. We’re working with pensioners, some of whom won’t be around forever, and if we want to bring them joy, we can’t be waiting for someone to green-light something.” 

Along the way, Louie will be joined in the series by famous friends, some of whom could include EastEnders’ John Partridge, actor and singer Alfie Boe and West End’s Anna Jane Casey. 

But he enthuses that anybody, including “huge celebrities”, would be welcome to volunteer. 

‘They radiate warmth’

Above all, he wants to inspire others to volunteer in care homes, even if they too suffer from anxiety. 

“Being surrounded by these pensioners or elderly people in a care home – the warmth you feel, you feel secure. Especially with me losing my mum, being around older people, they radiate warmth and they give you hope. They make you realise that what you perceive isn’t what it is,” he shares. 

Louie adds: “They will tell you to be happy, smile and live your life. So for anyone who is anxious or nervous about volunteering or doing something in a care home, I would say – and I’ve been in talking therapy, I’ve done it all – knowing someone is as engaged with you as much as you are with them, looking into their eyes and seeing joy, hearing them say things that make you think – it may be one of the best therapies you could ever do.” 

Louie Spence In Care can be watched on Louie’s YouTube channel, @LouieSpenceInCare.

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