Who ate all the pies?
HARRY’S HEROES: THE FULL ENGLISH ITV, 9pm
IN the weightiest challenge of his career, former football boss Harry Redknapp has agreed to get a team of unfit England legends back together again and back in shape.
With a sharp wit and cracking sense of humour, King of the Jungle Harry is thoroughly entertaining here as he gets the 90s footballing stars out onto the pitch – something some of them haven’t done for years.
They will then be taking on their old rivals Germany in one last grudge match – but they don’t know that yet. They naively think they are just taking part in a legends knockabout.
Ex-Liverpool star John Barnes is first to get the phone call, agreeing to captain the team – until he turns up with a knee injury and has to be Harry’s assistant instead.
On the pitch, and squeezing themselves into their kit, are David Seaman, Robbie Fowler, Paul Merson, Matt Le Tissier, Chris Waddle, Rob Lee, Ray Parlour, Lee Sharpe, Mark Chamberlain, Mark Wright and Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock.
Many of them have got a beer belly up front and some admit they enjoy bad food and having a pint – or six.
“England’s finest? They’re more like the full English,” says Harry.
There’s plenty of nostalgia here, with clips of the footballers in their prime, as well as memories shared, including former Southampton midfielder Matt showing off the scrapbook his mum made way back in the 1970s.
The changing room banter makes for hilarious viewing, and there’s an eyeopening first match against schoolboys from Bridgeway Rovers. But there is a serious, ahem, underbelly as Harry has concerns for the lads’ health.
Continues tomorrow.