Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Mucky magic
Plough on with Farm celebs... and reap rich rewards
Two minutes into her stint on Celebs On The Farm on Channel 5 on Monday night, Linda Robson had a simple request: “Get me a taxi now, please!”
Under normal circumstances, I may have been inclined to join Linda in the back. However, we TV addicts must get our fixes where we can these days.
Last night, I even resorted to watching Gemma Collins on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories. (From Trump Tower to TOWIE in less than a year, Piersy – where did it all go wrong, son?)
So with expectations suitably managed, I stuck it out on the farm – and I’m glad I did. This show may never match its Rebecca Loos heyday – although hopes were briefly raised on that score on Wednesday when it was announced there would be “a challenge involving pigs”.
However, for four nights it proved that where there’s muck there’s laughs. It didn’t just raise smiles either.
Spirits were also soaring. I challenge anyone to watch Kerry Katona genuinely beaming at being awarded a rosette for working hard on a farm without getting a little teary themselves.
Still, it might cause a little confusion if Kerry now goes around boasting about being great at husbandry.
Reality show veterans Kerry and Linda were surprisingly decent bookings – as were Shaun Williamson from Eastenders, Duncan James from Blue and Lady Colin Campbell from Planet Lady Colin Campbell.
Kerry was the main showbiz draw, as illustrated by the fact she showed up with a huge showbiz suitcase monogrammed with her initials. (Good job her middle name isn’t Kylie.)
Perhaps reflecting the fact that the show is also broadcast on MTV, that fairly famous five was supplemented by five youngsters of the Geordie Shore/ Love Island/drag Race persuasion.
And that’s where the magic happened. All 10 contestants mucked in and they seemed to be having the experience of their lives.
We were also treated to much intergenerational joy, such as the hilarious Holly Hagan explaining to 77-year-old dry stone waller John that his building stance was basically “a slut drop”.
Plus, refreshingly for a modern reality show there was no time for moping or moaning – on camera – about their struggles.
The closest we got was during last night’s first eviction.
There were a few tears as Linda finally said her goodbyes. Not from Linda, though.
There was only one way to describe her face on her long tractor ride to freedom. Happy as a pig in, well, you know what.