WHILE the debate about the purpose and value of the BBC continues, the transmission of a three-part exploration of the Royal Family, an institution intimately entwined over the decades with our national broadcasting network, is interesting viewing — or more rage-inducing grist for the “BBC-is-biased” mill, depending on where your loyalties lie.
Just the title itself reveals a distinct bias. The three-part series What’s the Monarchy For? (BBC 1, Tuesdays) is presented by David Dimbleby, who places his cards firmly on the table from the off. This is a personal look at the state of the monarchy, an analysis of power, wealth, and influence, bringing in a range of contributing voices from the former Prime Minister Lord Cameron and the former Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, to the former Irish President Mary McAleese and the republican journalist Ash Sarkar.
The monarchy wields such a powerful mystique that it is impossible not to find this fascinating, and, most important of all, there is plenty of corgi content. I did enjoy Lord Cameron’s remarks on his weekly meeting with the Queen: “Trip up the Mall, walk up the stairs, don’t trip over the corgis.”
The programme offers a clear attempt to pay more than just lip service to balance, with the inclusion of pro- as well as anti-monarchy opinions; but perhaps questioning the purpose of the monarchy at all is seen as suspect, or even treasonable, by the most ardent royalists. Dimbleby, who, at 87, is still sparklingly spry, is honest about his scepticism: when asked, “Are you pro-monarchy, Mr Dimbleby?” he replies, “I’m pro-programmes about the monarchy.”
The words of the late Queen, spoken in 1992 in her annus horribilis speech, continue to resonate: “No institution should expect to be free from the scrutiny of those who they expect to give it their loyalty and support. Nor from those who don’t.” Church of England: take note!
Jamie Cooks Christmas (Channel 4, 30 November) is a welcome return to form for Jamie Oliver, the former “Naked Chef”, who, as he enters his fifties, remains a staple ingredient in many of our kitchens, particularly during the festive season. This two-part series harks back to his popular Jamie At Home series from 2007, repeating the theme of seasonal, family cooking, taken from his own vegetable plot to the kitchen table. There is even a small guest appearance by Jamie’s Italian mentor, Gennaro Contaldo, who is always good value.
I enjoy entering into the harmless illusion of a good Christmas cookery programme, although the insistence on cooking in semi-darkness by candle and fairylight makes for an improbable aesthetic. It is all part of the festive fiction. Still, there’s plenty to inspire here, from a sticky toffee coffee pudding to a cauliflower and romanesco lasagne — a nice reminder that the time for feasting is nearly upon us.