An insider’s view of Blair and Brown’s bitter rivalry
Documentary series Blair & Brown: The New Labour Revolution arrived with a BBC Two synopsis that begged to be read out by the voice guy who does Hollywood trailers: “From idealistic political hopefuls to battle-scarred political veterans – this is their story.” Just add a stirring Hans Zimmer score and a few explosions.
On the face of it, a series about internecine struggles in the Labour Party doesn’t sound like something you’d settle down to with a glass of wine and a bowl of peanuts. If that sort of thing floats your boat, you don’t have to look back to the Nineties for it. But my goodness, it’s an interesting watch.
There is politics, of course, but at heart it’s a character study of two men and their flaws. The opening scenes pulled off a neat little trick of contrasting archive footage of the pair being interviewed as young politicians with them sitting down for this programme. Brown still pensive and carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders; Blair chirpy and grinning, settling into his chair with a takeaway coffee in hand. But there’s something different about Blair now, and it’s not just that his boyish looks have long gone. It’s in the eyes. He looks uneasy.
The series is by the people who brought you Thatcher: A Very British Revolution and it has the same feel: what we’re getting here is the unvarnished and sometimes painful truth, often told in gossipy anecdotes. Sir Christopher Meyer recalled a Blair-brown trip to the US to woo the Democrats, when Blair went full-beam while “Gordon Brown just sort of sat there”. Meyer mused: “If God had picked up Tony Blair and put him into the American political system, Blair could have become president of the United States.”
This first episode dealt with the death of John Smith and the fight to succeed him (although Blair was on manoeuvres while Smith was still alive). Both Blair and Brown thought it was their destiny, but Blair had the showmanship. Brown was left “hurt, disbelieving, almost inconsolable”, recalled Peter Mandelson, in a manner that suggested he relished the drama.
“If it had been obvious that the public had preferred him to me, I would have been happy enough to step back. But it really wasn’t, that’s just the way it is and there’s no altering it,” Blair shrugged. He was correct, of course. “Well, it could have been me,” said Brown. One wonders how this documentary would have turned out if the two of them had been asked to recount events while sitting side by side, like a couple in therapy airing their deepest grievances.
The BBC liked to describe Eggheads as “resting” after it disappeared from the schedules. Resting six feet under, to be exact, because this was a show that ticked absolutely none of the boxes now required of the corporation’s output. A programme beloved of older viewers? With a glaring lack of ethnic diversity? And a team member who is unapologetically posh? I’m surprised they didn’t ceremonially burn the mastertapes.
But the savvy bosses at Channel 5 snapped it up and so it’s back, in a daily teatime slot. Somehow it looks a little shinier, but it’s otherwise unchanged: the logo, the studio, Jeremy Vine’s flowery shirts. Vine is already a Channel 5 name and clearly thrilled that the show has found its new home. Even the question-setters were having fun with it: the film and TV round asked for the name of the shepherdess and author who stars in Our Yorkshire Farm, which just so happens to be a hit series on… Channel 5.
Egghead Steve Cooke wasn’t very good at the film and TV questions. “I must be the only person in the world who’s never watched Only Fools and Horses,” he said. Smugness is the Eggheads’ stock-in-trade – Vine once said they rather enjoyed being referred to as such – and Steve is probably a six out of 10 on the scale. The fragrant Judith is at the lower end. As for Kevin – when you’ve been British quiz champion 11 times, world quiz champion six times, Mastermind champion and Brain of Britain winner, I suppose you’ve earned the right to be as smug as you like.
The challengers did their best, but there was quite a knowledge gap on some subjects. One of them hadn’t heard of Vermeer; Kevin could reel off Vermeer’s year of birth (1632) and Judith knew how many paintings he did (35). The enjoyment of watching Eggheads, of course, is in seeing a bunch of new contestants beating the professionals at their own game. Alas, not in episode one. Full marks to team member Chris, though, for wearing a velvet jacket and looking more dapper than Daniel Craig. Blair & Brown: The New Labour Revolution ★★★★ Eggheads ★★★