Outrageous; Race Across the World: The Reunion; The Waterfront; Amol Rajan Interviews; Long Lost Family

“It’s slightly surprising that, for all our continued fascination with this eccentric, privileged family, the small screen hasn’t so far delivered a truly memorable account of their antics, nor indeed a truly compelling dramatisation of Nancy’s own brilliant books (the BBC’s 2001 stab at Love in a Cold Climate and its 2021 take on The Pursuit of Love were just about OK). But, dash and bother, here they are again with all their nursery room nicknames and skittish chatter about the politics of 1930s Europe and … well, it was much better than I was expecting. While the script editors could have taken more care with some of the clunky exposition, this is undeniably fun and jaunty; and while it has moments that feel like daft posho pastiche, the realisation quickly dawns that these people really were like that, at least on the surface.”
Ben Dowell, The Times

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“Those who had become tired of the sob stories won’t have been appeased by some of the navel-gazing. There was plentiful talk of “personal growth” and “moving forward”. Yet the show and its participants are so likeably wholesome, it was hard to be too cynical. Caroline and Tom might have clinched the £20,000 prize but money was barely mentioned. Indeed, the winnings are so incidental to the show’s magical mix, it’s easy to forget there’s cash involved at all. When it comes to Race Across the World, it truly is the taking part that counts.”
Michael Hogan, Telegraph

“Do you miss Dawson’s Creek now that you’re all grown up? Kevin Williamson sees you. And he has reinvented his late-90s/early-00s tale of a close knit community round a watery area for an adult market. Not adult-adult, you understand – we’re talking drug-running and crumbling family empire rather than sauce – but the main ingredients of his first TV hit are all here. Namely, masses of plot and some lightly sketched characters to keep it moving swiftly enough that nobody has time to stop and say “Hang on, fellas – I simply don’t believe a word of this!” Those of us who sat through several young women choosing Dawson over Pacey are only here for the second part of the phrase “credible drama”.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Rajan’s journalistic instincts led him to quiz [Martina] Navratilova on trans issues and her unhappiness with living in Donald Trump’s America (now a totalitarian state, in her eyes). But they took up just a few minutes towards the end of the programme, because he rightly identified that there is so much more to this sporting icon. Some interviews are good because of the spark and tension between the two parties. Others, like this one, are good simply because the interviewee is an engaging person with a remarkable life story, and Navratilova scores highly on both counts.”
Anita Singh, Telegraph

“A typically emotional journey of highs and hard-to-watch heartbreak kicked off a seventh series of Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace, which set Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell on the identity trail of two more foundlings. One, Simon Prothero, was left in an outside toilet block in Neath. The other, Lisa Dyke, was found in a car park in another child’s pram outside a health clinic. They came to the LLF team to find out what happened. Both of their paths to finding out who left them and why were copybook Long Lost Family, which is to say, extremely moving throughout. I clocked the LLF TTT (Long Lost Family Time to Tears) at 3 minutes and 41 seconds, and I was welling up not long afterwards. Even for this most lachrymose of series, this is a resplendent triumph.”
Benji Wilson, Telegraph