I’m a Celebrity; Mastermind; Blue Lights

“There is no public vote. It isn’t in Australia, or even Wales, and everyone taking part has been on the show before. All these factors remove a surprising amount of meat from its bones, leaving a skeletal version of the show behind. It’s fine, watchable, a functional assault course with innuendo and consummate pros at the helm. But the show is missing a spark.”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

“It’s a reliable ratings-winner for ITV, but the line-up is too steady. The sense of jeopardy is lower than usual because everyone knows what they’re doing. The South African setting is new, and made for a spectacular backdrop to the early scenes, but the camp is near-identical to the Australian one. The show is slickly produced but there are teething problems.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“It’s silly to pretend that two series of I’m a Celebrity… in a year isn’t a cash grab (there were plenty of ad breaks during the 90-minute opener). But that doesn’t mean it can’t also be entertaining, and against my better judgement, I’ve already been sucked in. Watching a miserable celebrity force down a sheep’s testicle will always hold a special place in the UK audience’s heart, whether it’s in Australia, Wales or South Africa.”
Emily Baker, The i

“If the celebs are ageing well, the same cannot be said for the show. The format for this pre-recorded spin-off is a little different – there’s no phone-in or online voting, and the celebrities are competing with each other to stay in through success in their tests – but it’s still tediously familiar.”
Sean O’Grady, The Independent

“My admiration for Ricky Gervais knows no bounds (he’s an animal-welfare warrior, is very funny and wrote the best sitcom ever. What more do you want?). But even I wonder if he’s a bit of an ‘easy’ specialist subject for a Mastermind grand final. But is this just snobbery? It’s all rote learning so does it matter whether it’s about a Roman emperor or a reality TV star? Mastermind is still good TV as last night’s final proved, and Clive Myrie strikes just the right note as the host.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“I can’t remember exactly when the X Factor-isation of everything reached Mastermind, but the final now features at-home films with the contestants, plus video messages from famous faces if specialist subjects allow. Contestant Stuart Field chose the BBC sitcom Extras, so up popped Ricky Gervais. Another contestant had selected the life of Princess Margaret, and a sporting Lady Glenconner submitted to a Zoom chat. All very jolly, but it adds nothing to our enjoyment; in fact, it detracts from it.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“The veteran quiz Mastermind is gradually turning into Noel Edmonds’s Telly Addicts. That suits me, but it can’t be what Magnus Magnusson had in mind when he launched his quiz for polymaths, 50 years ago.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Last night’s episode was a reminder of what an exceptional police drama it is, one you can watch without fear of being patronised by expositional or toe-curling dialogue, even though its title sounds like a retro porn mag. I like a drama that expects the viewer to concentrate and has the confidence to indulge silences and scenes with little dialogue.”
Carol Midgley, The Times