Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

Harry Hill’s World Of TVBBC2,

Absurdist comedian Spike Milligan famously hated soap operas, believing them repetitious and brainless.

I always thought that was a bit harsh, and it’s taken another surreal comedian until now to confirm soaps are under-appreciated.

Soaps are actually something to be treasured – or they are once you sit through the first episode of Harry Hill’s World Of TV.

Comedian Harry’s new series is a bit like the much-missed TV Burp, but it takes a wider view of the small screen. The first episode looked at soaps, and whether you love or hate Easties and Corrie, you couldn’t help but feel affectionate towards them.

Mostly, it was a collection of clips from the UK’S

BBC2, Sunday, 8pm

best loved soaps – think Eldorado, Crossroads and Family Affairs – taken out of any context to make them look as daft as possible.

Similar to TV Burp but, hey, if the formula works...

Spike Milligan said soaps were repetitious (did I mention that?) and you could see why – The Queen Vic, the Woolpack and the Rovers Return are all shown ablaze. Soap pubs are notoriously flammable, said Harry.

There was also an extended clip of people ordering two teas in the cafe in Eastenders. This was a sequence which went on so long it threatened to spill over into Dragon’s

Den afterwards.

I don’t think I would have minded.

What is it with surreal comedians from the ’90s gently cheering up our Sunday nights?

What’s next – will Chris Morris be taking a droll tour of the Cotswolds on his bike? Wry clips of old music shows as hosted by Harry Enfield?

Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse are back with a third series of their soothing fishing documentary. It’s still an excuse for the pair of them to whitter on at the side of a river, and exchange lighthearted banter.

No need to dread Sunday nights any more.