EXCLUSIVE: Three party boys swap their boozy nights out for a week of prayer and silence in an 800-year-old monastic order - with brutal 5.30am starts and 10 hours a day without speaking09:35, 24 May 2026Updated 09:42, 24 May 2026Ditching their wild, boozy nights out, reluctantly handing over their phones and taking vows of silence and prayer, three party boys had the culture shock of their lives.‌Swapping hedonism for holiness, Max Stone, Luke Louvieris and Alan Christie agreed to enter an 800-year-old monastic order for an entire week, with brutal 5.30am starts and 10 hours a day without speaking.‌Not only that, the fashion-conscious lads were given just £15 each to kit themselves out from a charity shop, before being tasked with cleaning chores, interrupted only by daily prayers.‌“Our whole life is prayer,” says Father Alex of the Carmelite Friars. “I suppose they will think that we are strange beings.” Friar Luke adds: “Being a friar is a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week life. You don’t plug in and plug out.”In the challenging social experiment, to be screened tonight in 5’s Trading Places, Max, Luke and Alan look bewildered as they arrive at the ancient Oxfordshire priory.‌Max, 24, a barber and influencer from Manchester who can call Romeo Beckham and darts star Luke Littler among his clients, says: “The no hair, the praying, the silence, worries me.”He adds: “I’ve diagnosed myself with FOMO [fear of missing out]. When you see everyone around you having a good time, it’s impossible to stop. I’m the loudest in the group.”Luke, 23, a fashion brand owner from Hemel Hempstead, Herts, says: “I can be very unmotivated. I’ll just ditch my to-do list and go out to a rave. “The thing I will struggle with most is following rules.”‌While Alan, a 24-year-old personal trainer from Glasgow, adds: “I’m pretty irresponsible. On Saturday, I turn into a complete degenerate. Before going into the priory I thought it might be quite intense.”But while some things were inevitable – Max’s phone alarm going off during silent prayer before being confiscated, fits of giggles, accidental swearing and naps during meditation – the monastery was not everything they expected.‌At one point, the friars spot a way in which the tech-savvy trio can help them, recruiting them to boost their online presence. The result sees the hooded monks dancing in a TikTok video that promises to deliver the teachings of Jesus Christ to Gen Z.Luke says: “It was so funny we couldn’t stop laughing. They said they wanted a viral video and we smashed it out of the park. Their sense of humour was really surprising, and how much banter they had. I never expected it.”There is also a night of bowling that brings out 80-year-old Sub Prior Liam’s competitive side. Luke says: “They were all jumping up and down and doing knee slides. It was mental.”‌For all three of the lads, the toughest part was staying quiet and not having their phones. Luke says: “It did feel refreshing not to be scrolling on social media all the time, but at first it was like, ‘What do I do?’ We ended up playing Uno all week.”Alan adds: “The worst bit was trying not to laugh all the time. I felt bad because it’s meant to be a serious place and I’m in stitches.”Ultimately, the trio have taken away some vital lessons. Luke says: “I’m better behaved, more productive, and seeing how they are like a family, I have started spending more time with my family.”Article continues belowAlan says: “I’ve learned to never judge a book by its cover, to be kind and help out.” Max adds: “The week solidified that being selfish is just one of the worst things you can be.”After a week of abstinence, the lads are determined to change – but thrilled to get their phones back...*Trading Places continues Sunday 24th May on 5 at 10pm. Stream the whole series now on 5.