Watching natural Nadiya is just a treat

NADIYA’S BRITISH FOOD ADVENTURE (BBC2 MONDAY)

The secret of success in showbusiness is sincerity. Once you’ve learned to fake that, joked the late great Bob Monkhouse, you’ve made it.

But if the camera really rarely lies and being yourself is key, Nadiya Hussain’s success is easy to explain.

She’s an absolute natural. The Great British Bake Off winner has gone from strength to strength and although this is her first full-length series, she looks like she’s been doing it forever.

She put everyone she met on her whistlestop tour of the east of England instantly at ease – smiling, chatty and totally unaffected. The only time her smile faded was on a little fishing boat to catch crabs.

“You’ll have to give me two minutes,” she gulped as seasickness took hold and she hung over the side.

Back on shore she lay on the shingle, stroking it and savouring being back on dry land.

There was no phoney TV presenter mode, just appealing natural reactions.

And the food had something from everyone.

The chicken salad ticked the healthy box – but her concoction combining crisps and chocolate was every sweet-munching couch potato’s dream!

I AM BOLT (BBC1 MONDAY)

If ever there was an example of how there’s no substitution for hard work, it came in this fascinating documentary on track legend Usain.

Behind the smile and the pose were sheer graft and a burning desire to be the best. He admitted to nerves, wondering each season whether he was still the best, still the fastest. The answer, of course, was a resounding yes. Even at 90 minutes the programme – fittingly – whizzed by too quickly.