HOT TV CHOICE
I WONDER what was going through the heads of Kate and Wills as they sat through
THE ROYAL VARIETY
PERFORMANCE 2019 a few weeks back. I know it’s all part of the royal job spec, and that this was their turn, and that they were typically smiley and polite, but I bet there were times when they wished to God they’d been sat at home in their matching Duke and Duchess jim-jams, fast-forwarding through all the ropey bits, same as the rest of us can tonight (7.30pm, ITV) if we do the sensible thing and watch it on catch-up.
At two-and-a-half hours, the Royal Variety is always a long old schlep. This latest line-up is by no means a shoddy one, but I defy anyone to cast an eye over the bill and think: “Yep, I definitely want to watch every last second of that…”
Romesh Ranganaghan and Rob Beckett are the co-hosts. The music line-up includes Robbie Williams, Jamie Cullum, Lewis Capaldi, Emeli Sande, Harry Connick Jnr and BGT winner Colin Thackeray. There’s comedy from the likes of Frank Skinner and Kerry Godliman, plus Cirque Du Soleil, Zucaroh and others doing stunty stuff. And, as they say, lots more besides. But be honest, you’ve already looked at that selection and chopped out a good 50 per cent.
Elsewhere tonight we have The Apprentice: How The Hell Did I End Up With This Lot, officially known as THE APPRENTICE: THE FINAL FIVE (10.45pm, BBC1). It’s where we get to learn more about the bunch heading for the traditional pasting in tomorrow night’s interview episode.