TV schedules aren’t a-changing

How times change. Twenty years ago, weekend television meant Bruce Forsyth and Chris Tarrant, a talent competition featuring a string of no-hopers and Robin Hood. Now, after two decades of progress at the cutting edge of popular culture, we have Bruce Forsyth presenting Strictly Come Dancing and Chris Tarrant presenting Who Wants to be a Millionaire? There’s the ruthless elimination of no-hopers on The X Factor and the BBC is even running a re-make of Robin Hood.It is like wandering into a time-warp. Who could have guessed that television would have changed so little? And yet is this predictable weekend line-up as strange as it seems?

The problem with television is that it is eternally torn between pushing forward the borders of broadcasting and sticking with what is tried and trusted. To the dismay of the progressives, it’s the tried-and-trusted formula that triumphs time after time.

Between them, Messrs Tarrant, Forsyth, Cowell and the Merry Men of Sherwood are attracting more than a quarter of the entire population of the British Isles.

They are different shows, appealing to different age groups - and yet they all have one thing in common. They are decent.

The most popular shows on British television are the ones you can switch on and enjoy with the whole family, safe in the knowledge that there will be no sex, no obscene language and no repellent violence.

There will be jokes for the children and a hint of double-entendre for the grown-ups - but no more. The gratuitous filth that stalks the late-evening schedules is, literally, a turn-off for most viewers.

At a time when the BBC is desperate for viewers and ITV advertising revenue is in freefall, programme makers can congratulate themselves on getting the right mix at the weekends.

It may not be adventurous. It may not be challenging. But silly quizzes, talent shows and song and dance with Brucie is a winning formula and a great national treasure.

Sentence will not stop the killing

The passing of the death sentence on Saddam Hussein may have set the crowds in Baghdad dancing with joy but we should beware of premature celebration.

At every step in this wretched war we have been assured that peace was just around the corner.

Peace would come when the Americans took Baghdad. Or when Saddam’s statue was toppled. Or when the dictator was captured. Or when he was found guilty. Or when he is executed.

Yet the blood-letting in Iraq is being conducted not in accordance with Western logic or timetables but for tribal and religious reasons that date back centuries. Whether Saddam lives or dies, the killing will go on. All we can hope is that our troops are out of this madness as soon as possible.