The best final bar none
TONIGHT we have the eighth and deciding round of HANDMADE: BRITAIN’S BEST WOODWORKER (8pm, Channel 4).Yes, can you believe the final has come around this quickly? Or is a couple of months roughly what you feel as though it’s been?
Or have you not really given it much thought either way? Please don’t say you don’t give two hoots.
Well, fair enough, but the remaining contestants – Chloe, Jacob and Lauren – certainly do.
Following video catch-ups with their respective families, full of love, encouragement and hints on how to trump their opponents’ work (“Go and smash it!” Lauren is advised, which I do feel is a bit excessive and probably against the rules), the trio step into the workshop, ready for their final set of instructions.
First, however, host Mel Giedroyc decides to crank up the drama. “Venus Williams versus Lindsay Davenport,” she begins. “Blur versus Oasis, Bucks Fizz versus the rest of Europe.
“Mighty clashes, all of them – but not a patch on this.”
The finalists grin back in amusement. Or possibly bemusement in the case of Chloe and Jacob.
Aged 21 and 22 respectively, they probably haven’t a clue what Mel is banging on about.
Or perhaps they just wish she’d get on with it.
In which case, their wish is about to be granted, as the details of their task are finally revealed. I must say it sounds like a tough one.
“We would like you to build the perfect place for a party,” announces judge Tom Dyckhoff.
It turns out he doesn’t mean a village hall with ample parking and a defibrillator. But he does want them each to create… a home bar.
He also wants it to be “dramatic, unique but also sophisticated”, presumably inspired by Pat Butcher’s on EastEnders.
Elsewhere, there’s an easier-sounding task awaiting the four new contestants on MASTERCHEF: THE PROFESSIONALS (9pm, BBC One). For tonight’s skills test, judge Marcus Wareing wants them to serve him ravioli. There is, however, a catch. Namely, that a tin of the proper stuff – i.e. the kind made by Heinz – won’t be considered acceptable, however lovingly it’s been microwaved.
Ludicrous, I know, but apparently those are the rules.
Instead, they have to serve Marcus a pretend version, made out of pasta dough that they have to roll out themselves and cut into ravioli-ish shapes, each to be filled with cheese and nduja.
The chefs are told they have 20 minutes to do all this – and at the same time create an emulsion.
So I guess that means ten minutes to make the pasta, the other ten to paint the ceiling.
It’s going to be tight.