I'm trying to avoid the word "househusband".... Oops! Too late.
Anyway, sensible advice. Try a google search for intensive driving courses. There are driving schools that do week-long courses with a test scheduled at the end of the week, and if there isn't one in Bournemouth then you can stay in a hotel/B&B for the week. You just have to get it done, and one would hope that your wife understands that...
I would also suggest an intensive course of Top Gear therapy. Male ATCOs as a minimum are usually slightly interested in cars. Many are obsessed with them and the car park at most units reflects not so much on the salary of ATCOs as it does their willingness to use vast amounts of credit to drive something interesting.