What to watch
A natural extension the daytime staple Hidden Villages for both its parent channel and its presenter Penelope Keith, Village of the Year has whittled down hundreds of places to a shortlist, divided by region and then scrutinised by Keith and a panel of experts. Shown at 3pm every weekday, each episodes will weigh up four contenders from the British Isles, with the week ending in a semifinal at 8pm on the Saturday – and the winner being awarded £10,000.
They begin by assessing the Jurassic Coast village of Charmouth, with its fossils and fire station; inclusive Redbrook, straddling the Wye and the Welsh-english border; the Saxon settlement (and associated period reconstructions) of Lydford; and Aberdaron, with its commitment to rural traditions and maintaining an ancient pilgrimage route. The judges’ verdicts ultimately seem a little arbitrary and Keith still doesn’t feel entirely to the manner born, but it’s a fine advertisement for the Great British staycation. And, with its stunning scenery, paeans to local traditions and spirit of good-natured competition, it’s charming daytime television. Gabriel Tate