Signs for Change; PopMaster TV; The Great Railway Disaster

“The main takeaway from Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change is how little things have changed in 30 years – though the existence of this documentary and the public profile of Ayling-Ellis herself shows we may yet hope for progress. Personal experiences, and the unvarnished reflections of Ayling-Ellis’s parents, are of course the emotional heart of the show. Her father, and the treatment of him, is especially interesting.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“Rose Ayling-Ellis: Signs for Change was a wonderful, instructive challenge to general perceptions of deafness and an absolute education for the hearing community (well, for me anyway).”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“Through her Strictly win, Ayling-Ellis showed what was possible, and she continues to do so: here was a documentary blending subtitles, speech and sign language, made by a deaf director and producer, and it absolutely merited its primetime BBC One slot.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“Signs For Change was an unashamedly partisan documentary, and all the better for it. Rose, who is more fluent in British sign language (BSL) than in either the written or the spoken word, has strong views and she didn’t try to hide them with a pretence at balance.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“It’s not the most exciting quiz show on the box, but credit must be given to Ken Bruce for keeping its integrity and not tarting it up too much for telly (flowery shirt aside). And it works, in a relaxed sort of way. I can understand if the BBC is hoping that it flops on More 4, but I have a hunch that it won’t.”
Carol Midgley, The Times

“PopMaster TV is the first step to turning this little quiz into a global brand, according to the production company behind it. As if this isn’t discombobulating enough, it’s on at 8pm. This is not the natural order of things. PopMaster is for mid-mornings with a cup of tea and a biscuit. It’s for yelling out the answers while you’re in the car. It’s for the radio. This new show just doesn’t seem right. Sorry, Ken.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“His easy banter and a brisk pace meant the entertainment never flagged, though an hour was too long — 30 minutes of questions about chart stars would be ample.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“PopMaster on More 4 is a throwback to simpler times. You can almost see the sticky-back plastic keeping the set together, while its 72-year-old host is older than the average grandfather. Its now-unlikely promotion onto television at 8pm doesn’t really make much sense – nobody was clamouring for it – but in keeping to its no-frills format, there is nevertheless gentle joy to be found here.”
Nick Duerden, The i

“In this documentary he was incisive, entertaining and correct (full disclosure: I’m an Elton fan), mixing the right amount of comedy with grim, depressing reality.”
Carol Midgley, The Times