HOSPITAL PEOPLE, BBC1, 10.35pm
I’LL be honest with you: I usually dread writing Friday’s TV previews because we all know there’s only one thing worse than Friday night TV and that’s Saturday night TV. So it’s never easy finding decent things to watch tonight; BBC4 can often be trusted to show a nice music documentary but BBC1 is practically a no-go zone.
But tonight that changes because of Hospital People and let me tell you how much I enjoyed it!
It’s a mock-documentary set in the fictional Brimlington Hospital, and actor Tom Binns plays most of the characters. There’s the hospital chaplain who fancies himself as a zany Scouse comedian, treating his ailing congregation to awful stand-up comedy sermons. The Hospital Radio DJ, Ivan, is a desperate middle-aged man, still seeking fame in his little booth, and says he likes being challenged by his job - he wants to wake up every day and shout, “I’m mentally challenged!” And there’s a hypochondriac patient telling the doctors there are things they don’t get taught in medical school and he’s surely got one of them things!
It’s wacky, clever and funny – and it’s Friday night. I can hardly believe it!
EUROVISION: YOU DECIDE, BBC4, 7.30pm
MEL Giedroyc must be desperate for The Bake Off to return if this is the type of gig she’s getting in the meantime.
But she’s a plucky sort, and admits to being a bit of a Eurovision geek, so she puts on a smile and presents this live show bringing us the six short-listed acts who want to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Why any reputable singer would want the job is another matter as the UK’s songs usually fare terribly. But perhaps I’m being too serious? Is there anyone out there who watches Eurovision for its music or do we watch it as a camp, silly tradition, an excuse to gather your friends round the TV with some fizzy wine and Quality Street and have a giggle? Or perhaps you prefer to watch alone and post some scathing comments about the performances on Twitter? Both approaches create some kind of fun and sense of community so let’s not trash it too much, but also let’s not expect too much from the singers either.
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