STORYVILLE: ON THE MORNING YOU WAKE (TO THE END OF THE WORLD) + THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF APRIL ASHLEY + PICTURES FROM IRAQ

This article was originally published in The Courier on 2nd July 2022.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

Storyville: On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World) – Tuesday, BBC Four, 10pm

On 13th January 2018, the people of Hawaii awoke to a terrifying emergency alert: “Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill.” 

It turned out to be a false alarm, but for 38 minutes those poor people endured a waking nightmare. They were about to be annihilated in a nuclear attack. 

This haunting documentary, which is adapted from a Virtual Reality experience, unfolds in more or less real time. It captures a sense of mounting panic, as parents send tearful messages to loved ones while hiding their children in storm drains. 

Sensitively entwined with memories of Hiroshima, it’s an impassioned, clear-eyed plea for nuclear disarmament.

Queen of Trucks – Monday, BBC Three, 8pm

Shannan runs an HGV driver training firm in the West Midlands. “Our ambition is to shake up the trucking scene,” she declares during this upbeat documentary. 

Shannon is trying to gain her own HGV licence, which she feels will make her look more credible to the young learners who flock to her business. Dad Trevor, a veteran instructor, is showing her the ropes. 

A few years ago, Shannon’s mum passed away. Trevor had to step down as boss in order to become a full-time dad to his daughters. He’s immensely proud of what Shannon has achieved. 

The programme doesn’t add up to anything particularly special, but that’s fine. It’s a nice little glimpse into the lives of others.

24 Hours in Police Custody: The Murder of Rikki Neave – Monday and Tuesday, Channel 4, 9pm

In 1994, six-year-old Rikki Neave from Peterborough went to school one foggy November morning and never came back. His murder remained unsolved for 28 years. This special two-part edition of Channel 4’s venerable true crime series foregrounds the police unit who reopened the case. 

Rikki lived on a disadvantaged council estate. His aggressive mother wasn’t popular with the neighbours. The finger of blame instantly pointed towards her. 

I’m loath to go into any more detail, not least because it’s all too bleak for a column such as this. However, in typical 24 Hours in Police Custody style, this isn’t a prurient or exploitative endeavour. It reports the terribly sad facts without recourse to sensationalism.

The Extraordinary Life of April Ashley – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

April Ashley, who died last year at the age of 86, was one of Britain’s most prominent transgender women. This documentary celebrates her trailblazing achievements. Preview copies weren't available at the time of writing, but it sounds absolutely fascinating. 

Ashley’s highly eventful life took her from the slums of wartime Liverpool to the star-studded heights of Knightsbridge society. She was a globetrotting model, dancer and restaurateur who was one of the first people in Britain to have gender reassignment surgery. She was eventually awarded an MBE for her services to transgender equality. A remarkable woman.

The programme is showing as part of Channel 4’s current season marking 50 years of Pride in the UK.

Pictures from Iraq – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

Esteemed Scottish author, journalist and war photographer David Pratt has been covering the conflicts in Iraq for over three decades. In this illuminating documentary, he returns to Iraq – a country he loves – to give his personal perspective on the ongoing situation. 

He examines the violent tribal divisions which have caused so much suffering over the years, while interviewing people such as a benign Iraqi general who describes the brutal ways in which ISIS continues to operate. Pratt also visits a training camp for female members of The Kurdish Freedom Party. 

Iraq is still politically unstable, but Pratt succeeds in making the point that it’s a beautiful country full of generous, resilient people. There is some hope amidst the darkness.

Ghislaine Maxwell: The Making of a Monster – Tuesday to Thursday, Channel 4, 10pm

This three-part series follows hot on the heels of BBC Two’s horribly riveting House of Maxwell (which is still available on iPlayer). It inevitably goes over some of the same ground, but it provides a more acute character study of Ghislaine Maxwell. 

Filtered through the memories of some of those who knew her well, a portrait emerges of a spoiled, entitled heiress with a total lack of empathy: a power-hungry, insecure narcissist who revelled in cruel power plays. But even those associates who didn’t particularly like her were shocked when she was exposed as a serial sex offender who trafficked underage girls. 

Ultimately, the series is a stark indictment of wealthy elites who believe themselves to be above the law.

George Clarke’s Remarkable Renovations – Wednesday, Channel 4, 9pm

Britain is full of abandoned buildings, which is a shameful state of affairs for reasons I needn’t elaborate upon. A recent relaxation in planning laws has apparently made it easier to convert these derelict spaces into private homes for wealthy people. So that’s nice. 

As this standard-issue lifestyle series returns, Channel 4’s softly-spoken Renovator in Chief and top Bernie Winters lookalike George Clarke visits a Sussex market town, where he meets a couple attempting to restore some ancient conjoined buildings which were once comprised of a slaughterhouse, a butchers, a pub and a blacksmiths. 

They want to build a spacious new home for themselves and their three teenaged daughters while respecting the integrity of the buildings.

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Outlaws – Sunday 26th June, BBC One

Series two of Stephen Merchant’s endearing comedy thriller has become cheerfully indebted to Breaking Bad. The overarching storyline now involves our mismatched gang of community service workers attempting to build a drug-dealing empire. 

Rani (the excellent Rhianne Barreto) is ostensibly the show’s own Walter White, albeit one who hopefully won’t follow his catastrophic trajectory. Meanwhile, Greg (Merchant) is its unlikely equivalent of Saul Goodman – a lawyer who can always be relied upon to swoop in and save his clients (and their collective criminal enterprise). 

Which isn’t to suggest that it’s derivative, just that it’s having fun with established tropes in a knowing way. Also, it’s a humane and rather nuanced show which never punches down at its dysfunctional characters.

Hungry for It – Tuesday 28th June, BBC Three

Hosted by the ubiquitous Stacey Dooley, this shamelessly formulaic cookery contest contains all the usual – yes – ingredients. The contestants are rookie cooks all looking to establish themselves within the food industry. 

When they’re not competing in the kitchen, they’re living together in a house for no other reason than to potentially cause some friction between them. The last one standing will be given the opportunity to work in some of the world’s finest restaurants. Meanwhile, they’re overseen by a pair of soundbite-spouting mentors. 

Whenever I watch programmes like this, I’m always reminded of Alan Partridge desperately trying to pitch a hackneyed project to the BBC: “People like them, let’s make some more of them.”

THE HUNT FOR BIBLE JOHN + LINDISFARNE'S GEORDIE GENIUS: THE ALAN HULL STORY + SCOTLAND'S BEST DOG

This article was originally published in The Courier on 20th November 2021.

NEXT WEEK’S TV

The Hunt for Bible John – Monday, BBC Scotland, 9pm

The notorious serial killer known as Bible John murdered at least three women in late '60s Glasgow. To this day his identity remains a mystery. 

It’s a horrifying case, but this two-part series doesn’t wallow in the grisly details. On the contrary, it’s a sensitive and responsible piece of work; a serious endeavour that places the murders in vivid sociohistorical context. 

It unfolds in a dismal post-war environment blighted by extreme poverty and violence, where working-class kids lived for the freedom of dancing at the weekend. Busy dancehalls such as the Barrowlands were where Bible John found his victims. 

The series also provides fascinating insight into the working methods of '60s crime reporters and the terminology they used. 

The Princes and the Press – Monday, BBC Two, 9pm

Princes William and Harry have, to say the least, weathered a difficult relationship with the media. Whatever your opinion of the Royal family, I think most reasonable people agree – on an instinctively empathetic level – that they’ve been treated unfairly at times.

In this two-part series, the BBC’s Media Editor Amol Rajan apparently highlights some of the illegal activities used by certain portions of the press during their ongoing race to present exclusives. I haven’t seen the programme, it wasn’t available at the time of writing, but I’m flagging it up because it sounds quite interesting. Apologies if it isn't.

Along for the Ride with David O’Doherty – Monday, Channel 4, 10pm

The whimsical Irish comedian David O’Doherty is a keen cyclist. This new – if you will – vehicle follows him as he enjoys a series of scenic bicycle rides with various celebrity chums. 

His first guest is comedian Richard Ayoade, a naturally funny man with, as it turns out, surprisingly sturdy thighs. He and O’Doherty cycle through an area of rural Sussex while shooting the gentle breeze. Occasionally they park their bikes to visit tearooms or toast marshmallows around the fire. You get the pretty picture. 

It’s blatantly indebted to the likes of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, but that’s fine. It’s a genial time-passer.

The Outlaws ‐ Monday, BBC One, 10:35pm

In the penultimate episode of this enjoyable comedy-drama, troubled influencer Lady Gabby (Eleanor Tomlinson) takes lawyer Greg (writer/director Stephen Merchant) to meet her formidable aristocratic father, who’s played by very special guest star Richard E. Grant on reliably frost-veined form. 

Meanwhile, we learn a little bit more about endearingly desperate and officious community service supervisor Diana (Jessica Gunning, an excellent yet underrated comic actor). 

It’s a pleasure spending time with these characters, all of whom are fundamentally lost and looking for acceptance. Merchant clearly likes them, he’s not in the business of belittling his creations. 

You can currently watch all six episodes on iPlayer. And it’ll be back next year for another series. See, sometimes good things can happen.

Dolly: The Sheep That Changed the World – Tuesday, BBC Scotland, 10pm

In 1997, scientists in Scotland created the first ever clone of an adult animal. This major breakthrough made headline news around the world and sparked an often incendiary debate.

Told via contributions from the pioneering lab-dwellers themselves, this documentary traces their process while investigating the aftermath. The genetically-engineered birth of Dolly proved controversial; critics rang alarm bells about its potentially terrifying repercussions. 

Needless to say, the boffins weren’t mad scientists hell-bent on creating a master race. Their work was geared towards helping people with genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Parkinson’s. 

My only criticism of this otherwise revealing programme is its chortling treatment of animal rights activists, which comes across as cheap and unnecessary. 

Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs – Wednesday, Channel 4, 8pm

One gets the impression that O’Grady – officially TV’s kindest human – would gladly host this long-running series exclusively for the rest of his professional life. No wonder, it’s a dream gig. 

During this week’s visit to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, O’Grady meets a Shih Tzu puppy called Daisy who is in urgent need of delicate liver surgery. The other stars of the show are Marley and Maisy, an unusually timid pair of tiny Chihuahuas who are going through the gradual process of being socialised, and the lovably large and boisterous Lizzie; in many ways the ultimate dog. 

As always, there’s no need to worry: nothing bad ever happens in O’Grady’s canine wonderland. Happy tail-wagging endings abound.

Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story – Friday, BBC Four, 9pm

We’ve all heard of 1970s folk-rockers Lindisfarne, but what do we know of the man who shaped their earthy, lyrical sound? Alan Hull died in 1995 at the tragically young age of 50. This illuminating documentary gives him his due. 

Hull comes across as quick-witted, charismatic and exceptionally talented; a working-class poet with dedicated socialist principles. Fellow Geordie Sting describes him as “our Bob Dylan”, which is apt enough, but he strikes me as more of a Tyneside Ray Davies. 

The programme doesn’t shy away from the fact that he was a mercurial heavy-drinker, but he was clearly an endearing character. I guarantee that this labour of love will encourage you to dig deeper into his work.

LAST WEEK’S TV

The Lakes with Simon Reeve – Sunday 14th November, BBC Two

Reeve’s latest series takes place in and around The Lake District, England’s largest national park. As a presenter, this seasoned traveller is defined by his concern for people and their surroundings. He’s a wise and considerate soul. 

In episode one he highlighted various environmental and social issues, the underlying theme being the sustainability of life for those people who live and work there all year 'round; his dig at wealthy visitors and second homeowners wasn’t belaboured, it fed naturally into his overall point about preserving traditional ways of life while welcoming progress to a certain practical extent. 

Reeve knows how to get his compassionate political points across within the confines of an ostensibly cosy BBC travelogue. A neat trick.

Scotland’s Best Dog – Thursday 18th November, BBC Scotland

Proud owner of the greatest title in television history, this delightful new series is simplicity incarnate. It’s a low-stakes competition in which dogs are encouraged to complete a series of benign challenges. They aren’t placed under any pressure at all, nor are their adoring human cohabiters. 

The series, which is filmed in a Perthshire park, is basically the anti-Crufts. It has nothing to do with pedigree, grooming or deportment; there’s no show dog elitism here, folks. These are pooches for the many, not for the few. 

It also contains some handy advice on how to maintain their health and happiness. What’s not to like? It’s a splendid piece of relatively cheap and irresistibly cheerful family entertainment.