Dom Does America - BBC1

The gutsy Dom Littlewood, who is best known for presenting programmes featuring dodgy dealers and con artists, left his comfort zone to take on some of the most dangerous occupations across the Pond in Dom Does America. Every morning last week, we saw him tackling a different potentially life-threatening job – from prison guard in one of the country’s most dangerous jails to US marshal.

He thought he was going to have an easier time when he became a cowboy for a day on a Texas ranch, but any notion that he was going to have as much fun as Billy Crystal in City Slickers was soon dispelled.

The ranch boss Josh was no Jack Palance, but the former soldier who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan was determined not to give this Limey greenhorn an easy ride.

The tone was set when Dom asked Josh if he was going to show him how to brand a cow. “Nope, just get on with it,” he was told.

The presenter overcame his fear of horses long enough to get up on one, but any attempt to control the beast failed miserably. Eventually the horse ignored Dom’s feeble efforts and got on with the job itself.

After wrestling calves and inseminating a cow, a battered and bruised Dom, covered from head to foot in cow dung, just wanted a bath and a good night’s sleep. He certainly earned it.

Dom Littlewood