Why not give reality TV a real purpose?

REALITY TV is dominating the headlines. Toff, below, wins in the jungle, Lord Sugar can’t make up his mind and declares two winners of The Apprentice and there is the usual controversy over the Strictly final. We shall no sooner have taken down the Christmas decorations than Celebrity Big Brother will be back. The Splash, The Jump, The Island, Love Island and all the rest will doubtless make their appearances throughout the year.

Some of these programmes are fun, some are tawdry, some hold genuine challenge but they are just TV programmes. They do nothing for anyone except the participants.

So why not invent a reality show that confronts reality and actually has an impact on real lives? Why not drop 10 celebs in the middle of a poor, disease-ridden part of Africa and see not how well they manage for themselves but rather what they can do for the inhabitants? Can they make a difference?

I did once challenge Gemma Collins (Towie), who rebelled on Sugar Free Farm because she had to go without a facial for two weeks, to come with me on a leprosy mission trip and she agreed but do you suppose we could interest a TV programme maker? No chance.

Tories should be far ahead in polls

IT beggars belief that the Conservatives are only just ahead of Labour in the polls. Corbyn would bankrupt the country with his spending plans and create a brain drain with his tax plans. He has tried to pretend that somehow he never did promise the writing off of student debt which attracted so many young people to his banner at the last election. His party has resorted to bullying tactics in trying to purge moderates, it is rife with anti-Semitism and doesn’t know where it stands on Brexit. Crucially, it is focused on the Marxist agenda which has failed so spectacularly wherever it has been tried.

Mrs May should be streets ahead. Are the young really so easily deceived? Are older memories really so short? AS this is my last column before the festivities begin, I wish all my readers a very merry Christmas. May families be united and children delighted. May the turkey be just right, the cracker jokes funny and all the hassle of the last few weeks worthwhile. I’ll be back with you after Boxing Day.