Save Our Squad; Alexander Armstrong in South Korea; Miriam and Alan; Mariupol: The People’s Story

“Westward Boys under-14s appear a very likeable, watchable bunch and inevitably you find yourself rooting forthem. Football, it scarcely needs stressing, is a really good game and so the on-pitch sequences where triumph follows set-back, beautiful goal follows easy-miss, are irresistible. But Beckham doesn’t add much. He was always better known for his right foot than his charisma, and no amount of edit-suite magic is able to transform him from a perfectly pleasant international uber-star in to a dressing-room inspiration.”
Benji Wilson, The Telegraph

“No spoilers here, but there really is nothing like a sporting underdog story to lift the spirits and this one has drama in spades. Despite his huge celebrity status there is still something rather guileless about Beckham. His heart seems to be in the right place. He genuinely wants to help. So maybe park that cynicism and just enjoy the ride.”
Joe Clay, The Times

“Beckham comes across undoubtedly well. He’s confident in front of the boys, dispensing wisdom for navigating life both on and off the pitch, but also self-conscious and nervous that he’ll put a foot wrong. Best of all, and surprisingly for one of the most famous men on the planet, he knows when to stay in the shadows.”
Emily Baker, The i

“This is one of those travelogues that has to be mindful not to look like it is laughing at the quirks of foreign cultures, even when it’s watching them engage in mukbang (online eating shows). Luckily, Armstrong is far too likeable and intelligent a guide for that, even if his opening gag was slightly painful.”
James Jackson, The Times

“Poor old Xander, usually such an upbeat chap, became quite choked, pulling on a shroud and lying down in a coffin. He took it all seriously, as his guide asked him who would be crying to learn of his demise. And then the coffin lid was symbolically hammered down. It seemed especially harsh that, for a fellow who makes no secret of his fondness for a Cordon Bleu dinner with vintage wine, his last meal should be half a hundredweight of lukewarm noodles.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland and Beyond hovers somewhere between a delight and a dog’s dinner. This is partly down to personnel, which included an actual dog brought along by Cumming. It’s impossible to conceive of anyone not enjoying the company of Cumming, whose wears his stardom ever so modestly. His cheeky self-deprecation and gift for tolerance make him the ideal emollient and straight man for his fellow traveller, whose middle name is Marmite.”
Jasper Rees, The Telegraph

“Thespian friends Miriam Margolyes and Alan Cumming don’t appear to eat at all as they trundle around in their motor-caravan on Lost In Scotland And Beyond. Perhaps 57-year-old Alan has lost his appetite, thanks to his octogenarian companion’s constant foul language and wind. A small dose of Miriam goes a long way, though she was the one who appeared to be getting increasingly fed up as their travels took them to Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Filmed by the city’s residents themselves — the footage on their phones illustrating their (recent) interviews — this gruelling and vital Panorama felt uncommon for the way it mainlined you into the ground-level fear and desperation. It showed how much smartphone cameras have intensified the immediacy with which such journalistic stories can be told; no need for a reporter in the frame filtering events through their sad observations.”
James Jackson, The Times