Three Little Birds; Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream; Planet Earth III

“Three Little Birds was a fascinating and moving retelling of the experiences of the Windrush Generation who left the Caribbean for a new life in Britain in the 50s. Henry and executive producer Russell T Davies were mindful of their responsibility to tell the story truthfully and unflinchingly, but they never forgot that to succeed, Three Little Birds needed to function at the level of pure drama, to smuggle in its share of soap-opera excitement. In that, it triumphed effortlessly.”
Ed Power, The i

“It’s the repartee and backchat, rather than the historical accuracy, that make this both a delight and perfectly convincing. The colours of the hats and cotton dresses saturate the screen, and the soundtrack is as lively as the story, with a dance scene to match. Leah and Chantrelle doing the boogie-woogie twist beat anything on Strictly. I loved it.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Three Little Birds exhibits deep reverence for its characters, but it doesn’t really seem to know them. And while respect for the Windrush generation is entirely appropriate – especially after the profound disrespect demonstrated by successive home secretaries – it doesn’t lend itself to a satisfying, engaging television drama. We must respect our elders, sure, but wouldn’t it be better to understand them, too?”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

“Henry has based the screenplay on the experiences of his family and friends, and it is set in his native Dudley, so has the ring of authenticity. But it feels sugar-coated. There is always something painful in seeing stories of immigrants arriving here from the colonies, believing they will be welcomed, only to encounter hostility. Yet the emotions here are surface-level.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“An awful lot of Three Little Birds makes one ashamed to be British – and so it should. Anyone with a sense of racial justice, or just common decency, ought to be appalled. The Windrush generation were treated badly – cold-shouldered by their neighbours, their local boozers, and even the churches they were made to feel were not for them. The series is extremely effective in conveying that routine cruelty that was meted out to those who came to make a better life in Borehamwood or Dudley.”
Sean O’Grady, The Independent

“We’re in Greece and it’s just the tonic we need, now that the weather in Britain has turned grim. The episode begins with the performers singing and dancing through the streets, and it’s instantly uplifting. I find Zoe Ball’s Tigger-ish enthusiasm too much for the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, but her style is perfect for this.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“We are shown virtually nothing of the workshops and even less of the rehearsals and hear little more than a few platitudes from the judges after each performance. And although these are all full-length renditions of Abba’s greatest hits and great fun, there is no tension, no investment, no context for any of it.”
Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“As always, these documentaries narrated by Sir David Attenborough are a testament to the wonders of the natural world. The footage, gathered over five years across 43 countries, is astonishing and awe-inspiring. The first episode alone, dedicated to coasts, travels from Kent to Australia, through South Africa, Canada, Indonesia and more. The scale and scope of this project are spectacular.”
Rebecca Nicholson, The Guardian

“This eye-poppingly beautiful natural history series proves that sometimes the third time can be the charm. It packs the sort of dazzling visual punch of which Hollywood could only dream, with languid overhead shots of flapping flamingos and their young who struggle to survive in the freezing rain.”
Ed Power, The Telegraph