Stacey Solomon’s new show proves BBC is awfully left wing & woke but happy to ignore principles to be down with the kids
BRUCE’S TRIP A TRIUMPH
TELEVISION adventurer Bruce Parry has been bitten by squirrels, monkeys, dogs, snakes and pretty much every other wild creature in South America, except Luis Suarez.
He’s also taken all known hallucinogens, in the name of his art, which means he’s still the perfect man to get off his nut on BBC2’s masterpiece Tribe, which returned this week after an absence of nearly 20 years, with Bruce living alongside the Amazon rainforest’s ancient Waimaha people.
An experience that began with a Bushtucker Trial of palm weevils and ants, to try and ingratiate himself, followed by the sacred Yage ceremony, which involved more tribal headgear, chanting, drinking and vomiting than I’ve even seen on a Tartan Army trip (Including Milan, 2005).
Over 24 hours later, after the chundering had finally stopped, a thoroughly blissed-out Bruce claimed he now understood the Amazon wasn’t just a place where the Waimaha grew their food, “it’s a relationship you have with this forest”.
And though the tribal elder, Pedro, merely replied in the affirmative, I’m convinced his eyes told a wider story that was as wise, vast and all-encompassing as the great jungle itself and said: “Nah, mate. It’s just a p**s up.”
(Tribe is available on the BBC iPlayer).
- TV name of the week? The executive producer on Discovery’s new series of Naked And Afraid, David Hard Story. Commiserations also to the production assistant, Jack Seamans.
Random TV irritations
GAS-LIGHTING Beeb propagandists assuring us women were equal and welcome at their Eid Live broadcast, as we stared at a mosque floor filled with men.
BBC1’s gangster drama This City Is Ours blatantly “borrowing” the car boot scene from Goodfellas. Anyone except Tina Turner singing Proud Mary.
And BGT’s Harshith Aiyannira Ganesh, whose impersonation of a Yamaha RX-100 motorbike sounded more like Rachel Reeves delivering her Spring Statement through an exhaust silencer, but still didn’t earn him the obvious brush-off from Simon Cowell. Harshith? Hard s**t.
TV gold
BBC2’s Bruce Parry, who’s back to his chundering best on episode one of Tribe.
Sam Rockwell stealing the show as Rick’s out-of-control friend Frank, on The White Lotus.
James Nelson-Joyce proving to be as brilliant – as Michael Kavanagh – in BBC1’s gangster drama This City Is Ours as he was playing Johnno the prison bully in Time. And legendary comedian Mick Miller, below, getting proper belly laughs for a perfectly delivered punchline to a routine called “I don’t mind a good funeral”.
A performance which, as you’ve probably already guessed from the words “belly laughs” and “punchline” wasn’t provided by television.
It’s on YouTube. Go there and remind yourself that comedians used to be funny.
Great sporting insights
TIM SHERWOOD: “All you need to do? Three words, win.”
Robbie Savage: “Foden’s always had plenty of tricks up his locker.”
And Michael Dawson: “I echo everything the boys have said, but not in what they’re saying.”
(Compiled by Graham Wray)
Lookalike of the week
Sent in by Michele M.
- ON EastEnders, everyone continues to handle Phil Mitchell’s nervous breakdown and stay in a psychiatric unit with great sensitivity, except Nigel Bates, who said: “I thought it was going to be like that ward in that film where Jack what’s-his-name got lobotomised.”
Which, I hope you agree, is no way to talk about Phil or a movie as powerful as Carry On Doctor. - IMPOSSIBLE contestant Abdul was absolutely right to say, “the singer who claimed ‘We don’t have to take our clothes off to have a good time,’ in a 1986 hit,” couldn’t possibly have
- been option C) Jermaine Jenas, “because he’s a football pundit,” and very much would’ve suggested taking his clothes off to have a good time.
- THE Finish Line, Roman Kemp: “John, what creature is a sombre tit?” Keir Starm . . . “A bird.” “Correct.”
Oh well, you live and learn.