PREVIEW – MIKE WARD: The TV historian’s new three-part sequence on Egypt offers the right platform for his abilities – or not
Our man along with his arms on the distant management, Mike Ward (Picture: Categorical)
Egypt With Dan Snow, 5, 9pm
At any time when I journey overseas for my holidays, there’s often a thriving native market. Noisy, vibrant, teeming with life, it’s a spot the place you may actually immerse your self within the tradition. It’s additionally a spot the place you may attempt a little bit of haggling, do you have to want. Right here’s instance of my very own haggling approach, tried and examined over many a yr:
ME: Excuse me, I’m so sorry to hassle you, however how a lot are these footwear, please?
TRADER: For you, sir, particular worth. One thousand of your British kilos.
ME: A thousand kilos sterling? Actually?
TRADER: Per shoe.
ME: Oh. Righty-ho. Honest sufficient.
TRADER: Plus 5 kilos if you need a bag.
Sure, the reality is there are a few of us Brits who battle in this type of state of affairs. If something, our Britishness intensifies. It’s all so awkward and uncomfortable, quibbling with a stranger over the worth of one thing or different. How can it not be? On the identical time, some Brits appear to adore it, relishing the prospect to indicate off their bartering abilities — clearly pissed off that they by no means get to make use of these in, say, Homebase — and to display to the remainder of us how effortlessly tuned in they’re to the way in which issues are achieved on this a part of the world. I discover such folks fairly irksome.
So what about TV historian Dan Snow? From his actions tonight, within the first of this new three-night sequence, I worry he might fall into the latter camp. This may be so disappointing. I’m all the time been a giant fan of his.
At a market in Luxor, he’s in search of presents to take dwelling for his household. “One thing Tutankhamun-y” is his choice (I’m guessing that doesn’t embody a curse).
As soon as he’s discovered one thing appropriate, he takes it over to the shopkeeper. “I’m not simply going to pay the primary worth,” he assures us. Prepared for battle, he’s already learnt the Arabic for: “That’s an excessive amount of.”
So the dealer begins at 600 Egyptian kilos. After which? Dan’s information instantly butts in and tells the man: “It’s a good worth. You’re a good man.” And, er, that’s it.
“I used to be all revved up,” Dan sighs. “Someday. Someday I’m going to be good at bargaining…” I do hope not.
Mastermind’s Clive Myrie with one other movie star particular last (Picture: BBC) Get evaluations, gossip and upcoming present releases plus chosen gives and competitors Subscribe Invalid e mail
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Mastermind, BBC2, 7.30pm; College Problem, BBC2
Danny Boyle, Beatrix Potter, Robert Burns, Jim Lovell and Our Woman of Paris, AKA Notre-Dame. Sure, it’s a massively spectacular line-up of contestants participating in tonight’s Mastermind last. I can’t wait to search out out what their specialist topics are. Possibly host Clive Myrie can inform us. Straight after that, Amol Rajan fires a stream of incomprehensible questions at College Problem finalists Edinburgh and Manchester. Assuming no-one is aware of any of the solutions, they will have to chop the trophy in half.
Nice British Menu: The Finals, BBC2, 9pm
Sure, it’s the concluding week of this yr’s Nice British Menu. Meaning it’s going out 5 nights on the trot, a bit like a type of Channel 5 homicide issues, though not in each respect. The grand banquet, at which every of our remaining eight cooks hopes to be offering no less than one course, is on Friday, however first they should battle over who cooks what. Tonight it’s all in regards to the starter. Contenders, with usually ingenious names, embody Bruce Wayne’s Breakfast, Ploughing The Fields, A Gastronomic Odyssey and a four-pack of Aldi Onion Bhajis. Please keep in mind I could also be partly mendacity.
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