‘Why TV really is the tops!’ Gaby Roslin on the power of telly
Television and radio presenter Gaby Roslin chats about her passion for the small screen. But do you agree with her choice of favourite shows?
If the past year has taught me anything, it’s the power of TV to not only entertain but to transport you to another place. It’s also a great leveller and a source of conversation. My father, who is in his 80s, religiously watches the quiz shows in the afternoon. I am pleased he does this as many say it’s a good way to keep the brain ticking over. He finds TV great company and we talk about what he’s watched and how much he admires (as do we all) Sir David Attenborough, how he can’t understand The Masked Singer and how much he still loves Doctor Who. There used to be a certain amount of snobbishness about some TV shows. As a teenager, I remember watching Cilla Black hosting Blind Date. It was the show no one admitted to liking (except me, because I loved it), yet had millions of viewers. The maths simply didn’t add up. These days, however, we have so much choice, and social media is so full of opinions, that hopefully the snobs have decided to keep quiet and leave us all to our own choices.
I would love to share with you some of the favourites that have kept me entertained recently. For laugh-out-loud funny, it’s got to be This Country, written, created and performed by Daisy May Cooper and her real-life brother Charlie. They play cousins Kerry and Kurtan, who live in a small village in the Cotswolds. It’s about their day-to-day comings and goings, and their relationship with their family and the local Vicar, played beautifully by Paul Chahidi. Kerry’s dad is actually played by their real dad, Paul Cooper. It’s simple, smart and hysterically funny.
Next, I have to mention Line Of Duty. I even managed to get the three main stars Vicky Mcclure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston on to my podcast. I was beyond thrilled. They were brilliant together. It’s so beautifully written by Jed Mercurio and, trust me, the twists are very twisty! Succession was on Sky. It’s a gripping family saga and is brilliant (albeit full of some of the nastiest characters around!). Call My Agent!, on Netflix, is based around an acting agency in Paris and is glorious, funny, naughty and bursting with fabulous characters. I also want to shout out for It’s A Sin on Channel 4. In my humble opinion it is without a doubt one of the finest things I have ever watched. Created by the genius writer Russell T Davies, it’s set in the 1980s and about the AIDS epidemic and how it affected a group of 18-year-olds. My husband and I watched this and we laughed, sobbed and truly loved the characters so much that, when it finished, we actually missed them. They had become a big part of our lives. ITV’S Unforgotten is also beautifully crafted, with a wonderful cast lead by the sensational Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar. Also watch out for the ‘post-show’ backpack reveals on Sanjeev’s social media. Very, very funny!
An honourable mention has to go to Ant and Dec and everything they do, Strictly Come Dancing and The Masked Singer; big, loud and colourful because, goodness me, we all need to be entertained right now!
I know we all have our favourites and I could talk TV all day but, right now, I’m off to watch an old favourite of mine… Eastenders. I’ve never missed an episode!
‘TV is a great leveller and a source of conversation’