Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace; Bake Off: The Professionals; Cursed Histories

“Part of the effectiveness of this series is the judicious way it avoids being exploitative. The soft piano music and the way the camera scrutinises the subjects’ faces at moments of high emotion can feel heavy-handed at times, but they are part of the essential drama. The presenter-led empathy never seems inauthentic and these are willing participants.”
Ben Dowell, The Times

“With Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell smartly taking a back seat and allowing the drama to unfold naturally, this was an emotive warning over how intolerance and judgemental societies can ruin lives. In less sensitive hands it could easily have been one long misery fest, but the message was ultimately uplifting.”
Ed Power, The i

“Davina McCall conducted the interviews with gentleness and tact.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“The first series was hosted by Tom Allen, who is funny, but he has been replaced by Ellie Taylor, who is not. The one bright spot is Liam Charles, a former Bake Off winner who co-hosts with just the right amount of charm.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“Despite all the expertise on display, this version of Bake Off always emphasises the disasters. There’s a cliffhanger before every ad break, with masterpieces on the verge of collapse. That’s a complete contrast to the original show, where we’re cheering on plucky amateurs and willing them to success. This urge to see professionals humiliated leaves a slightly bitter taste.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“History buffs, be warned: Cursed Histories is heavy on the curses but light on the history, and if I didn’t know better, I would suspect that at least one of the historians offering their expertise here is struggling to keep a straight face. That said, Cursed Histories is largely harmless fun, in a ghost-stories-round-the-campfire sort of way.”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian