“It’s all a bit Blue Peter circa 1970. Or the kind of stuff you’d say nice things about if your child came home from school with.” Read on for the verdict on last night’s TV.

Kirstie’s Crafty Christmas, C4

“It’s all a bit Blue Peter circa 1970. Or the kind of stuff you’d pretend to be impressed by and say nice things about if your child came home from school with. If this show was sold as something to do with kids it would make more sense – but it’s not.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“I’ve never been a huge fan of Kirstie Allsopp the TV presenter and I’m not the sort of bloke who’s ever been heard to say, ‘look at those adorable baubles! I simply must have them!’ Kirsties Crafty Christmas was, however, an absolute treat.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

 “You’d need a strong cocktail or seven to tolerate Kirstie’s climactic festive bash. This crafty party was intended to sell us the lifestyle dream. Instead, it looked like a load of smug people sipping pine drinks that smell like domestic cleaning products and congratulating each other on making a career out of this twee twaddle.”
Michael Hogan, Telegraph

Tom Kerridge Cooks Christmas, BBC2

“Tom Kerridge has a catchword. He chuckled about ‘proper carrots cooked properly’, cooed over ‘proper lush fruit and veg’ at Covent Garden market, and baked a ‘proper Christmassy’ cake. All the while he was serving up the priciest recipes and ignoring cheaper cuts. There’s something improper about that.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“As we all take, on December 25, to gurning merrily at relatives, at least Kerridge has primed us for it. And at least it will be a much happier gurn, if your mouth is decorated with several shades of his delicious turkey crumble topping.”
Alex Hardy, The Times

Ripper Street, BBC1

“It might have lapsed into gratuitous gore at times but Ripper Street was a fully realised world, populated by strong characters and the writing was superb. Its quality hasn’t dipped. Instead, the ratings decline is largely due to it being scheduled against I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!”
Michael Hogan, The Telegraph

“When its cancellation by the BBC was announced, Jerome Flynn said that he and his co-stars felt that the show was “kind of unfinished work.” You can understand why after last night’s finale, with all its potential new directions.”
Alex Hardy, The Times

 

 

 

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