Russia With Simon Reeve; Educating Greater Manchester

“It’s a fascinating albeit depressing glimpse into a country that remains a mystery to outsiders. Despite having various segments cut short by snooping authorities, Reeve still does an admirable job of delivering a varied and fact-packed portrait.”
Finlay Greig, The i

“Simon is taking a keen interest in environmental matters, which makes it more interesting than the average television travelogue. And it’s this interest that the FSB don’t like. It might be frustrating for him, but again, this unwanted close interest from the state makes the documentary meatier.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“Reeve’s very much from the Professor Brian Cox school of factual presenting: mop-topped, fresh-faced and breathless with awestruck enthusiasm. It was like spending an hour in the company of a ‘gap yah’ student. But there was some stunning aerial photography and Reeve spoke perceptively about the growing influence of China.”
Michael Hogan, The Telegraph

“Where this documentary scored was in Reeve’s energy and the glorious snowy vistas, although they, sadly, are warming up due to climate change. Still, it was disappointing that in the whole hour Reeve didn’t get round to sharing with us what tiger faeces smells like.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“The documentary was packed full of fascinating facts, figures and trivia.”
Claudia Connell, Daily Mail

“Educating Greater Manchester hasn’t made the media waves that Educating Yorkshire did, but it is still delivering episodes that catch you in the throat. Harrop Fold School in Salford was seeking its first head boy and head girl, and seeing how very much it mattered to the candidates and how seriously they took their speeches was touching. And impressive.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“In last night’s episode there were shades of that great 1999 comedy film Election as the star pupils of Harrop Fold’s Year 10 went on the campaigning trail. I wasn’t sure it mattered, much, which one of them won and in that sense it reminded me of a lot of recent elections.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“Sex. Swingers. True crime. Slightly naff hosts. Eamonn and Ruth’s 7 Year Itch could only have been more stereotypically Channel 5-ish if it had involved benefit claimants, clinically obese bailiffs or a serial killer giving a shark a makeover. What did we learn from this survey of marital tricks and conjugal wisdom? Precisely nothing.”
Michael Hogan, The Telegraph