FIL Adams-Mercer is used to living the good life — with a home and a boat in Florida, three months a year off work, and no shortage of cash.

It was a culture shock, then, for him to move into a cramped, dirty and smelly terraced house in Doncaster, without even a TV or radio to pass the time.

That was the scenario when Mr Adams-Mercer featured on Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire, a popular TV show in which rich people go undercover in some of Britain’s poorest communities before revealing their true identities and giving thousands of pounds to good causes.

Mr Adams-Mercer, who was born and bred in Bolton and now lives in Horwich, was given only £74.44 to live on for the week — the amount given to people on jobseekers’ allowance.

He said: “I give away more money on dinner for my staff than I had to live on for a week. It’s a reality check to remind you what life is like for a lot of people.”

Fil Adams-Mercer is the founder and chief executive of successful online delivery company Parcels2Go.

The Great Lever-based firm, which has twice scooped top prizes at the Bolton and Bury Business Awards, has an annual turnover of about £11 million.

Mr Adams-Mercer founded the business in 2000 after selling his previous company, Video World, in Chorley Old Road, to Blockbuster.

The TV experience ended with him giving away tens of thousands of pounds.

He said: “I met some incredible people. It makes you feel ashamed of yourself.

“I met people who’ve given 30 or 40 years for charity — they’ve given up their lives, really.

“When I told them who I was they started to put me on a pedestal, but I said it’s you who are amazing.

“You’ve given up so much, and I’ve just given you a few quid.”

The episode featuring Mr Adams-Mercer was filmed in November, but airs on Monday night at 9pm on Channel 4.