BOOK REVIEW: A Mind Of My Own by Kathy Burke

This article was originally published in The Big Issue in January 2026.

A Mind Of My Own by Kathy Burke is out now (Gallery UK, £22)

Kathy Burke’s mother, Bridget, died of cancer when Burke was only two years old. Her late father, Pat, was an alcoholic prone to violent rages. As Burke half-jokingly declares in the foreword to her frank, funny and wise autobiography, A Mind of My Own, Pat is the only ghostwriter you’ll find in these pages.

This is no misery memoir by any stretch of the imagination, Burke is far too self-aware for that sort of nonsense, but she does capture the stark reality and tedium of growing up with an alcoholic parent in the house. She and her two older brothers would long for the peace that would descend when he was asleep, away on days-long benders, or those occasional periods of sobriety.

Burke also writes about her own problems with heavy drinking in the 80s and discreetly alludes to a dark period in the early '90s – “the bad, sad days” – when she was involved in a difficult romantic relationship.

Otherwise, this is an upbeat and enoyable account of a talented working-class woman who only ever wanted to act, write, direct and entertain.

Burke comes across just as you’d expect, a thoroughly decent, kind and non-judgemental person who reserves her ire for those who deserve it, eg she didn’t enjoy working with a pre-Trainspotting Danny Boyle (“He reminded me of a supercilious priest from my childhood.”), and once called Helena Bonham-Carter a “stupid cunt” in a letter to Time Out after HBC complained in all sincerity that it’s harder for attractive posh actors to evade typecasting than it is for “non-pretty, working-class” actors. She has no time at all for patronising luvvies.

Seriously, be more like Kathy Burke.

GEORGE MICHAEL: OUTED | KATHY BURKE: GROWING UP | FUNNY WOMAN

This article was originally published in The Courier of 4th March 2023. 

NEXT WEEK’S TV

George Michael: Outed – Monday and Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

In 1998, George Michael was arrested for committing a so-called lewd act in a Los Angeles public toilet. That scandal could’ve ended his career, but instead he turned it into a landmark moment for gay liberation. He owned it. 

This comprehensive two-part documentary places George’s highly publicised outing in acute sociohistorical context. 

He shot to fame in the 1980s, when the tabloids exploited the AIDS crisis to create a virulently homophobic moral panic. His private anxiety was emblematic of fears within the entire gay community. 

A valuable social document, the programme illustrates the blatantly unethical ways in which certain powerful portions of the media persecute minorities for their own political gain. Its timely subtext is clear.

A Special School – Monday, BBC Two, 7pm

In the final episode of this current series, the staff and pupils of Ysgol Y Deri are nearing the end of summer term. 

Sport’s Day is back for the first time since the pandemic. Egg and spoons abound. As one staff-member notes, these fun little memories will hopefully be something the kids will cherish in their adult lives. 

It’s also time, after months of rehearsal, for the big summer production of Aladdin. 

As always, A Special School illustrates the importance of gently encouraging children with diverse needs towards creative and active endeavours which may allow them to project hitherto untapped facets of their personalities. 

If you’ve seen this show before, then you’ll understand why I repeatedly wax lyrical about it.

Jamie’s £1 Wonders – Monday, Channel 4, 8pm

Cost of living crisis be damned, here comes big-hearted millionaire chef Jamie Oliver to give us some advice about how to survive on a meagre budget. 

The problem with Jamie is that he probably does mean well, but he’s a fundamentally silly man utterly lacking in self-awareness. So ostensibly good-natured ventures such as this always come across as blunderingly offensive. He has no real idea of how much we’re all struggling. 

Anyway. In episode one, he faffs about with some chickens, pizzas and pancakes. He also calls upon his old pal Gennaro Contaldo to share some tips on traditional Italian cooking. Those tips don’t involve toast and baked beans, so I found myself lost from the outset.

Kathy Burke: Growing Up – Wednesday and Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm

Kathy Burke, like most decent people of sound mind, would balk at being described as a national treasure. And ‘balk’ is a polite way of putting it. Nevertheless, Burke is rightfully beloved. 

She doesn’t project a cynically contrived persona, she’s a genuinely frank, funny, kind and inquisitive person who has no time for narrow-minded nonsense. Hence why she’s carved a successful career in semi-retirement as the host of documentaries such as this, in which she challenges negative stereotypes about people old and young. 

While confronting the realities of ageing and death, she examines the inherent difficulties of young adulthood in the 21^st century. It’s a typically insightful and humane essay, shorn of all the usual clichés.

Cold Case Detectives – Thursday, STV, 9pm

Carol Ann Stephens was murdered in Cardiff in 1959. She was six-years-old. Her killer has never been found. This new series attempts to find some justice for Carol at last. 

I’m generally disinclined to recommend programmes of this nature, as they’re quite distressing for obvious reasons. So with that in mind, please tread carefully. 

In episode one, we’re introduced to a detective who was childhood friends with Carol. We also follow, throughout the series, cold case detectives and forensic experts as they revisit old crime scenes, interview new witnesses and unearth crucial pieces of information. The team also investigate some other historic murders. 

Funny Woman – Thursday, Sky Showcase, 9pm

Based on the novel by Nick Hornby, this likeable comedy-drama stars Gemma Arterton as Barbara, a mid-1960s Blackpool beauty queen who flees to Swinging London. Inevitably, she discovers that London only swings for those who can afford it. 

Barbara is determined to do something with her life, but has no real idea of what that might be. She idolises Lucile Ball. Perhaps she could be Britain’s answer? 

Adapted by that great comic actor and writer Morwenna Banks, Funny Woman is a warm, witty, charming tribute to our estimable comedy heritage. Arterton proves once again that she’s a talented comic performer, and Rupert Everett has an absolute whale of a time as an ageing showbiz impresario.

Becoming Frida Kahlo – Friday, BBC Two, 9pm

Frida Kahlo is widely regarded as one of the most significant artists of the 20^th century. But that wasn’t the case during her lifetime. This beautifully-made three-part profile pays homage to a truly transgressive artist. 

It begins at the beginning, with a young Mexican girl growing up in a time of revolution. Those formative experiences inspired her uncompromising independence and iconoclasm.

Programmes of this nature often rely on lazy platitudes, they tell the stories of ‘icons’ in a superficial way, but this one is different. It’s curated by people who understand why Kahlo was so important. They never forget that she was an actual human being, not just some sort of symbolic legend. 

LAST WEEK’S TV

Endeavour – Sunday 26th February, STV

Here we are then. It’s the final series of this Inspector Morse prequel, which began way back in 2012. Naturally, some Morse fans were sceptical at the time. Do we really need a detailed backstory for this quietly enigmatic detective? Aren’t some mysteries best left unsolved? 

Well, I’m no Morse purist, but from where I’m standing Endeavour never sullied the legacy of one of TV’s most beloved coppers. It was made with evident care and respect for, not only John Thaw’s iteration of the character, but for the quietly ingenious spirit of Morse creator Colin Dexter. 

Youngish Morse’s latest case, which took place in 1972, was a typically diverting and elegant piece of superior Sunday night clue-sniffery.

The Women Who Changed Modern Scotland – Tuesday 28th February, BBC Scotland

Chapter two of Kirsty Wark’s enlightening essay travelled through the 1980s and 1990s, a bold new era of opportunities for women. Or so they were told. In fact, the struggle for equality was far from over. Sexism, misogyny, harassment and domestic abuse were still rife. 

Wark’s interviewees included the daughter of Jean Porcelli, who fought a landmark sexual harassment case which changed the law for women across Britain, and Karen Koren, the Gilded Balloon artistic director who encouraged so many women to blaze a trail through comedy. 

Wark also told the story of Anne Hepburn, whose feminism shaped her quest for more inclusivity in the Church of Scotland. 

All three episodes of this excellent series are currently available on iPlayer. 

JOANNA LUMLEY'S GREAT CITIES OF THE WORLD + HOLDING + THE IPCRESS FILE

This article was originally published in The Courier on 12th March 2022. 

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Joanna Lumley’s Great Cities of the World – Thursday, STV, 9pm

Lumley’s latest travelogue stops off at three of the world’s most dazzling capitals: Paris, Rome and Berlin. 

A fluent Francophile, Lumley makes a strong case for Paris being the global epicentre of romance, elegance, intellectual discourse and artistic freedom of expression. That sounds like a terribly clichéd overview, I know. Paris isn’t some sort of faultless utopia. But Lumley’s essay is persuasive. 

While spending time with various dancers, bohemians, fashionistas, migrants, booksellers and feminist activists ‐ plus a woman who appears to be comfortable in her polygamous relationship ‐ she solidifies her deserved reputation as one of our best celebrity tour guides. Charming, funny and engaged, she’s entirely at home with whoever she meets.   

Holding – Monday, STV, 9pm

An adaptation of Graham Norton’s debut novel, Holding is a comedy drama set in a somnambulant West Cork village. 

The protagonist is an ageing police sergeant and thoroughly nice man (Conleth Hill from Game of Thrones on charmingly low‐key form) tasked with protecting a community where nothing ever happens. And then some human remains are found in someone’s back garden. He’s almost quite delighted by this development, as it allows him to do some proper police work at last. 

The humour in Holding ‐ which is directed by the great Kathy Burke ‐ is subtle and dry; a gentle comedy with a bleak undercurrent. Most of the characters are essentially lost and unhappy. It’s definitely not your standard ITV fare.

Fame in the Family – Monday to Friday, Channel 4, 5:30pm

Here’s fun. Well, possibly ‐ preview copies weren’t available. Quite an intriguing premise, though, hence why I’m cautiously bringing it to your attention. 

It’s a new series in which celebrities play a DNA guessing game with members of the public they’ve never met before. One of the guests ‐ the whole thing is set up as a chatty dinner party ‐ is related to the famous host, but none of the participants know that for sure until various clues are tied together. 

The producers have presumably done their homework, so there’s no need to steel yourself for awkward moments. This week’s celebs include Craig Revel Horwood, Shaun Ryder and Rustie Lee. Yep, I’ll be watching too.

Lightning – Monday to Thursday, BBC Two, 6:30pm

This no‐frills teatime quiz show is an undemanding time‐passer; something to watch with your spaghetti hoops while shouting out the answers. It fulfils its simple brief with aplomb. 

Your genial host is comedian Zoe Lyons, who keeps things moving like all the best quizmasters. The general knowledge questions flow thick and fast. Banter is kept to a bare minimum. The producers of Lightning know that we’ve tuned in for the quiz, we don’t need to hear about the life and unamusing times of Brian from Didsbury. 

It’s catnip for trivia fans and grammar hounds (the quick‐fire spelling round is borderline stressful), a harmlessly addictive treat. William G. Stewart, where e’er he may be, would doubtless approve.

Canal Boat Diaries – Monday, BBC Four, 7:30pm

The very definition of comfort viewing, this series follows softly‐spoken wanderer Robbie Cumming as he putters around on his faithful yet fallible old narrowboat. This time he’s navigating his way through the north of England during a heatwave. 

As always, various minor problems arise along the way, but for the most part it’s a serene cruise flanked by beautiful vistas. Canal Boat Diaries is an intimate endeavour in which Cumming is pretty much the only person who appears on screen. He’s pleasant company; a humble free spirit living some sort of dream. 

If, for obvious reasons, you’re feeling quite anxious at the moment, then this will hopefully provide a brief window of respite. A valuable public service.

Kate & Koji – Wednesday, STV, 9pm

I enjoyed series one of this traditional studio‐based sitcom about the friendship between a seafront café owner (Brenda Blethyn) and an African asylum seeker, so I was looking forward to its return. Unfortunately, it appears to have run its course. 

I didn’t laugh once during the first episode; it feels considerably more strained and workmanlike than before. Jimmy Akingbola, who originally played Koji, has been replaced by Okorie Chukwu. While fine, Chukwu lacks his predecessor’s deadpan comic timing. Perhaps he’ll settle into the role, but the main problem is the script by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, a usually reliable duo who have settled into autopilot here. 

A shame, as we need more good, trad sitcoms on TV.

Comic Relief 2022 – Friday, BBC One, 7pm

Sir Lenworth of Henworth hosts this year’s charity telethon, a role he’s essayed ever since those glorious late ‘80s broadcasts when the whole shebang felt like an actual event: an anarchic and often ramshackle party in which relatively young comedians hijacked stuffy old BBC One to raise (loadsa) money for worthy causes. 

But for the last 30 years it’s been indistinguishable from Children in Need, a slick and entirely well‐intentioned extravaganza that just turns up then disappears. Still, at least it continues to raise money. That, after all, is the most important thing. I just wish they’d put more effort in when it comes to the actual comedy side of things. 

Some people are never happy, are they?

LAST WEEK’S TV

Killing Eve – Saturday 5th March, BBC One

Yes, it’s still going. Series one of this campy pulp thriller was great, but it’s been pointlessly treading water ever since. The saga didn’t need to continue beyond that original run. Here’s the final lap, if anyone still cares. 

As always, episode one moved at a clip. Some of the set‐pieces were amusing in a superficial way. Killing Eve was superficial from the start, and there’s nothing wrong with that when the story and characters are engaging. But what’s the point of a serial that just drags on an on, long after it's served its purpose? 

Still, Jodie Comer’s performance as Villanelle is one for the ages, what a fine actor she is. I’m glad she’s moving on.

The Ipcress File – Sunday 6th March, STV

When writer John Hodge (Shallow Grave; Trainspotting) decided to pitch a new adaptation of Len Deighton’s classic Cold War thriller, he obviously had no idea that it would resonate with our current global situation. 

A TV show preoccupied with the imminent threat of nuclear war isn’t exactly what we need right now, but I can’t deny the effectiveness of The Ipcress File as a piece of entertainment. 

Directed at numerous canted angles by James Watkins, it’s rather witty, zippy and stylish. Michael Caine will always be the definitive Harry Palmer, but baby‐faced Joe Cole acquits himself admirably as the dry‐witted, working‐class spy. Give me roguish Palmer over suave imperialist Bond any day.

OUR NHS: A HIDDEN HISTORY + KATHY BURKE: MONEY TALKS + THIS WAY UP

This article was originally published in The Courier on 10th July 2021.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Our NHS: A Hidden History – Thursday, BBC Two, 9pm

Hosted by the always reliable and eloquent historian David Olusoga, this thoughtful documentary unpacks the stories of people who migrated to Britain to work for the NHS. 

From day one, the NHS owed its survival to the recruitment of doctors and nurses from all around the world. They were needed, but – to put it mildly – weren’t always treated with the respect they deserved. 

Olusoga makes the point that one of our most beloved national institutions is intrinsically entwined with one of the most divisive political issues of the last 70 years: immigration. 

He speaks to several first-generation migrants and the descendants who have followed in their footsteps. It’s both a proud celebration of unsung NHS heroes and a despairing indictment of racial prejudice.

Kathy Burke: Money Talks – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

In the concluding episode of her acute and generous study of wealth inequality, Burke shifts her attention to people living in poverty. 

She visits Jaywick, the most deprived area in England, and drops in on a food bank – “they shouldn’t exist in this country, it’s disgusting.” 

She also addresses the way in which poor people are negatively stereotyped in the media. Burke, who is entirely self-aware, worries that the Slobs sketches she made with Harry Enfield may have contributed to this demonisation. 

“The majority of people who are poor, it’s not their fault,” she says. “But they’re always told by society and the media, ‘Oh, anyone can get a job.’ It’s such a crock of sh*t."

She wouldn't thank me for saying this, but Burke is an absolute hero.

The Dog Rescuers with Alan Davies – Tuesday, Channel 5, 7pm

Warning: this series contains scenes of dogs in distress. It’s not gratuitous, the whole thing is handled sensitively, but it may prove upsetting to some viewers. 

In the latest episode, Davies presents another tranche of bittersweet stories. The centrepiece involves an RSPCA inspector who is concerned about William, an overweight black Labrador with a large painful tumour on his paw. 

William’s elderly owners have refused further treatment following a dispute with their vet. They’re not cruel people at all, but initially they don’t quite grasp how serious the situation is. The RSPCA inspector must tread gently yet firmly. Much like William etc. Oh, please yourselves.

I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by revealing that things do get better for William. It would be unbearable otherwise.

The Two Ronnies: Ronnie Corbett’s Lost Tapes – Wednesday, STV, 9pm

Messrs Barker and Corbett (a soubriquet always bestowed upon them by TV continuity announcers) were BBC men through and through, so one wonders why this documentary has ended up on ITV. They’re presumably hungry for some of that hot Ron dollar. 

I haven’t seen the programme, it wasn’t available for preview, but failing to highlight it would be a dereliction of duty. 

We’re promised unprecedented access to Corbett’s home movies and some rare behind the scenes footage. It also features contributions from his widow, Anne, his daughters Emma and Sophie, plus celebrity friends and admirers such as Rob Brydon, Harry Hill and Jimmy Tarbuck. 

In short (pause; adjusts glasses), an affectionate tribute to a master comic. Sounds lovely.

This Way Up – Wednesday, Channel 4, 10pm

Aisling Bea’s comedy-drama about a young woman gradually recovering from a nervous breakdown is charming and frank. It’s not plot-driven as such, the hook is the relationship between Aine (Bea) and her protective older sister (co-producer Sharon Horgan). 

Bea and Horgan share a warm, natural chemistry, they’re entirely convincing as a pair of siblings with years of history behind them. Some of their dialogue sounds improvised; a typical episode involves the sisters just hanging out and talking nonsense. But it never comes across as a self-indulgent vanity project. The characters are likeable and amusing, it’s a pleasure spending time with them. 

Before series two begins, I recommend catching up with the first one on All 4. 

Can I Improve My Memory? – Thursday, Channel 4, 8pm

Sandi Toksvig hosts this new series in which five celebrities from various age brackets attempt to sharpen their powers of recall. Each week they’re tasked with mastering general knowledge topics they previously knew nothing about. 

The celebs are boxer Chris Eubank, Love Island winner Amber Gill, hoofer Len Goodman, TV presenter Anna Richardson and actor Nina Wadia. 

Eubank is ordered to learn about dinosaurs; Gill gets to grips with great British birds; Goodman throws down with 1990s American hip-hop; Richardson investigates the solar system; and Wadia embraces the human skeleton. They’re coached by a memory man who clearly regards himself as a bit of a character. 

Memorising facts isn’t the same as learning, though, is it? Think on.

Michael Ball’s Wonderful Wales – Friday, Channel 5, 8pm

This week, Britain’s second favourite amplified Welshman – Sir Tom will always reign supreme in that hotly contested niche – pitches up in southwest Wales, a part of his homeland he’s never visited before. 

While striding along the Pembrokeshire coastal path, he visits a protected haven for seals and seabirds, delves into some local history and ancient myths in the company of a charismatic storytelling tour guide, and rustles up a soufflé with a French chef who moved to Wales to improve his English. He also meets two direct descendants of Dylan Thomas (Ball is a big fan). 

And yes, it concludes with another lusty hillside musical performance. A standard-issue travelogue, the show fulfils its utterly harmless, gentle brief.

LAST WEEK’S TV

Pride Hits at the BBC – Saturday 3rd July, BBC Two

This joyous deep-dive into the BBC archives served as a reminder – as if we needed reminding – that LGBTQ artists and gay icons have been responsible for some of the best pop music ever made. 

Highlights included Scissor Sisters performing I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ (a co-write with Elton John, who was represented by a 1970s performance of The Bitch is Back); The Weather Girls barnstorming through It’s Raining Men (a song, fact fans, co-written by David Letterman’s bandleader Paul Shaffer); and some thrilling footage of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who were briefly the greatest and most subversive band in the world. 

But the best moment of all was Gloria Gaynor being introduced by Keith Harris and Orville.

Diana’s Decades – Thursday 8th July, STV

What a strange series. Presumably in an attempt to differentiate itself from the sombre mien of ITV’s recent Diana documentary (ITV are utterly obsessed with the Royal Family; let it go, guys, you’ll never get a knighthood), it opts for an incongruously jocular tone. 

I’m not the sort of person who thinks the Royals should be treated with uncritical respect – heaven forfend – but telling Diana’s story with a cheeky nod and wink makes for awkward viewing. 

It nominally presents itself as a sweeping piece of social history shot through the prism of the People’s Princess, but episode one was largely preoccupied with cheap gags about 1980s fashions. Who is it aimed at? What is it for? Baffling.

 

KATHY BURKE: MONEY TALKS + GOLD RUSH: OUR RACE TO OLYMPIC GLORY + STORYVILLE: RASING A SCHOOL SHOOTER

This article was originally published in The Courier on 3rd July 2021.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Kathy Burke: Money Talks – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

Like all good people, Kathy Burke is concerned about economic inequality in Britain. In this ruminative and insightful two-part series, the preternaturally likeable actor – who grew up poor - examines one of the most pressing issues of our time. 

She meets people with money, and those without. Episode one focuses on the rich. Her interviewees include a self-aware aristocrat, a National Lottery winner, a self-made millionaire and a gang of TikTok influencers who live in communal luxury (they’re not as objectionable as I thought they’d be). 

Burke is wise, frank and non-judgemental; her sole note of scorn is reserved for our incumbent government, who have no idea what it’s like to be poor.

Gold Rush: Our Race to Olympic Glory – Monday, BBC One, 9pm

The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games in London are officially The Best Thing That Ever Happened in Britain. Even a curmudgeon such as myself became swept up in the triumph of it all. However, as this drama-packed series reminds us, there was once a time, not so long ago, when the British Olympic team were regarded as perennial disappointments. 

It tells the story of how they gradually evolved from “full-time amateurs” into world-class competitors. In 1996, to avoid further embarrassment, PM John Major decided to support promising young athletes with National Lottery funding. His successor, Tony Blair, continued that initiative. 

Episode one features talking head contributions from Blair, Major, Linford Christie, Chris Hoy and Kelly Holmes. 

High: Confessions of an Ibiza Drug Mule – Monday and Thursday, BBC One, 10:35pm

At the age of 20, Michaella McCollum from Northern Ireland was arrested at an airport in Peru when her luggage was found to contain 11kg of smuggled cocaine. She received a six-year prison sentence. 

In this kinetic series, McCollum tells her side of the story. Buzzing with dramatic reconstructions, it’s a cautionary tale that doesn’t wag its finger too sternly in McCollum’s direction. She comes across as naïve and foolish, an easily manipulated person whose non-stop Ibiza party lifestyle made her lose touch with reality. “Nothing at that time was serious at all,” she says. 

If we are to take her at face value, then McCollum’s ordeal illustrates that one should – shall we say – always err on the side of caution when fraternising with drug dealers. 

Storyville: Raising a School Shooter – Wednesday, BBC Four, 10pm

A stark opening caption lays out the facts: “As of 1970, there have been 1,677 reported shootings in schools across the U.S… these have resulted in 598 deaths and 1,626 injuries.”  

This meditative and commendably sensitive documentary focuses on the parents of school shooters. Chief among them is Sue Klebold, whose late son committed the Columbine High School massacre alongside a fellow pupil. Eloquent and open-hearted, Klebold is still coming to terms with what her son did. His crime made her question everything about herself as a parent. 

Without a shred of self-pity – Klebold’s sympathy for the victims and their families is paramount – she talks movingly about her guilt, grief, and the gradual process of piecing her life back together.

The Great Food Guys – Thursday, BBC Scotland, 8:30pm

From their countryside kitchen in Aberdeenshire, Nick Nairn and Dougie Vipond return for another series of culinary tips. 

This week, our be-aproned hosts welcome special guest Rory Bremner, while supping responsibly from bottles of stout and cooking up an Asian daube of beef. For the sake of vegans and vegetarians, they issue a gentle warning at the start of the episode: a voracious meat feast is about to commence. 

Meanwhile, they chat to Bremner about his life and career. Impressions abound, of course. His tour around various Scottish dialects includes cameos from Billy Connolly, Neil Oliver and Malcolm Rifkind. “It’s the musicality,” he explains. “Every voice has got a song. It’s just kind of having the ear for that.”

Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted – Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm

Preview copies of this new series weren’t available, but I’m recommending it because Ramsay is a weirdly fascinating TV presence. Despite his many years of experience in front of the camera, he still comes across as perpetually nervous, frantic and uncomfortable. 

Ramsay presents television with the panicked demeanour of a man trying to blow out a match in a cave full of dynamite. A most unusual fellow. 

This time, according to the press blurb, he’s travelling to some of the world’s most remote locations in search of culinary inspiration. His quest begins in Peru, where he straddles a motorbike en route to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. High-altitude cooking ensues. 

One worries for the man’s blood pressure.

Wonderful Wales with Michael Ball – Friday, Channel 5, 8pm

This cosy travelogue is all about Ball rediscovering his Welsh heritage. Yes, folks, he’s on a literal and spiritual journey. 

In episode one he has afternoon tea with his dear old auntie, celebrates the once thriving Welsh coalmining industry, and goes digging for cockles. It’s all very light-hearted and corny – that’s the Ball way; his narration is entirely composed of clichés – hence why I braced myself during the sudden swerve into a segment covering the Aberfan tragedy. 

I’m relieved to report that it’s handled sensitively. Ball, who is showbiz through and through, is clearly ill-equipped to hold forth on such a serious subject, so thankfully he gently recedes into the background during his interview with a survivor.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

I Am a Mutoid: A Glastonbury Hero – Sunday 27th June, BBC Four

Since the mid-1980s, Joe Rush and the Mutoid Waste Company have been building sculptures out of scrap metal and junk. A politicised collective of underground artists, they live life on their own terms. This inspiring documentary paid tribute to their free punk-infused spirit. 

The MWC have always filmed themselves, so director Letmiya Sztalyrd was able to tell their story in vivid detail. 

In Thatcher’s Britain they were regarded as pariahs, as evinced by some disturbing footage of them being brutally harassed by the police. In 2012 they were invited to take part in the Paralympics closing ceremony. Which isn’t to suggest that modern Britain is a pristine oasis of tolerance, but we have at least moved on. A bit.

Extraordinary Twins – Wednesday 30th June and Thursday 1st July, STV

I only had preview access to the first episode of this tender two-part documentary about conjoined twins from all around the world, but what I saw was fascinating. 

Candid and compassionate, it gave voice to various twins alongside parents fearful for the future of their children. They were all faced with a terrible dilemma epitomised by the recurring thread of an operation on seventeen-month-old craniopagus twins; separating them could result in brain damage or death. 

Episode one followed specialist surgeons from Great Ormond Street Hospital as they undertook that risky and complex procedure. A moving yet unsentimental programme, Extraordinary Twins didn’t treat disabled people as ‘others’. There was no condescension, just some honest reporting.