Marigold loves
BBC1, 9pm The delightful, surprising, heart-warming series is back for a third run, packing celeb seniors off to India for a taste of what life would be like if they retired there.
And it’s another eclectic bunch, with Janette and Ian Tough (The Krankies, to you and me), comic Syd Little, presenter Selina Scott, actresses Stephanie Beacham and Susan George, Grand National champ Bob Champion, East Enders star Peter Dean and politician-turned-I’m-A-Celeb-er Stanley Johnson.
Their adventure takes them to Udaipur in Rajasthan, the City of Lakes, where they will spend a month living together in a stunning, traditional, ancestral mansion. And they must throw themselves into every aspect of Indian life and culture.
Given that Bob has never even eaten a curry before, it could be a struggle.
But as in the previous series, the participants’ willingness to embrace everything that’s put in front of them and stay open-minded is a joy to watch and inspiring.
And a lot of the stuff that confronts them they find challenging – the heat and noise, the crazy, whizzing mopeds, the food shopping and having to watch a chicken have its head chopped off. Despite the difficulties and their initial cynicism, it looks like, once again, the celebs could end up being seduced by India, its people and the extraordinary way of life. “It’s intoxicating – pure gold,” says Selina. And so is this series.