“Hugh makes a subject that could be joyless and preachy a bit of a giggle – and highly watchable TV”

Britain's Fat Fight With Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Britain’s Fat Fight with Hugh Fearnley‑Whittingstall, BBC1

“Britain’s Fat Fight with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a flabby title, but he was impressively firm with the multinational food companies that peddle sugar. Many anti-obesity/healthy-eating documentaries are deathly dull. Store-shaming is more fun.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“I like a good old-fashioned stunt – bold, a bit squirmy, fun. And in doing them he makes a subject that could be joyless and preachy a bit of a giggle – and highly watchable TV.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“The observations here that children have a sweet tooth and that breakfast cereals are laden with sugar were not revelatory, but it’s how Hugh brought this to life that made for fun, engaging TV. It’s unlikely to change the course of our future health as a nation, but if it galvanizes even a few individuals that’s a wonderful thing.”
Elisa Bray, The I

“Despite being let down by the title, Hugh is on another worthy crusade, trying to start a grassroots healthy-eating movement. It’s a better use of airtime than all the programmes devoted to explaining why we’re so fat and what grisly things are going to happen to us.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“To give Hugh his due, he is an unfailingly polite man who can disarm anyone with his impeccable charm. Very cleverly and subtly, that’s what he was doing to us, the viewers. He was far too polite to say it bluntly, but by pretending to chastise the food giants, he was really addressing the general public: if we want to lose weight, it’s up to us.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

The Assassination of Gianni Versace, BBC2

“Darren Criss’s portrayal of the narcissist Andrew Cunanan has been so faultless that when it ended last night I was sorry to see the back of him. While some mid-series episodes were meandering, Criss provided a constant spine of quality in his beguiling monster.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

Benidorm, ITV

“One of the rib-ticklers of the episode featured a big girl dipping her toe in the swimming pool, losing her balance and toppling in with a squeal. That was it — a fat lass falling in the water. Benidorm’s humour has always been coarse and broad, but now it’s plain lazy, too.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

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