On Last Night’s TV
Britain’s Brightest Celebrity Family, ITV ★★★
There were a few flashes of Anne Hegerty’s uncompromising alter ego The Governess last night.
Introducing ex-footballers John Barnes and Matt Le Tissier as the latest heads of family in her prime-time quiz show, Anne quipped: “Both have played for England, so they’ll be used to accepting defeat graciously.”
That was a bit harsh, even for Anne. I mean, did she not see Barnesey and Le Tiss leading England to glory in those two matches against the German legends team in Harry’s Heroes?
This celebrity version of this quiz show suits Anne’s style much better than the civilian.
Thanks to the unwritten TV rule that decrees celeb contestants are fair game, she can show her acerbic side without fear of offending anyone. Sadly, despite the sprinkling of showbiz dust, this still feels like a daytime show promoted out of slot.
It doesn’t help that it is the lightest of sprinklings.
Out of the eight names taking part in this series Barnes and Le Tissier would take two of the top three places on the fame scale.
Still, at least the fact that they played each other in this quarter-final meant there’d be a big name in the semis. It won’t be Le Tissier. He lost.
I bet Matt is still kicking himself for failing to correctly identify the moons of Jupiter in the crucial round.
Not least because that wild 25-yarder he fired over the bar against the Germans last month struck at least three of them on its way back down.