best chat

Apr 20 2008 by Nathan Bevan, Wales On Sunday

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, BBC One Wales, Friday 10.35pm

ONE thing that’s become clear from Wossy’s current run is that the floppy fringed one’s only as good as his guests. And there have been some stinkers recently, let me tell you. Nevertheless, this week he has Hollywood royalty in the shapely form of Cameron Diaz, Demi Moore’s considerably younger spouse Ashton Kutcher, big-haired Russell Brand and comedy legend Ronnie “And the producer said...” Corbett.

best reality

The Baron, ITV1 Wales, Thursday, 12.05am

REALITY TV had long since been like a snake eating its own tail by the time telly execs announced the concept for this latest brain-wave. Increasingly dumb ideas were being made into even dumber programmes, each submitting an ever diminishing law of returns. It was only a matter of time before some drongo came up with the idea of having Mike Reid, Malcolm McLaren and Suzanne Shaw compete to become the baron of a small Scottish town. However, the ex-Eastender’s sad death last year means the whole silly mess has now become eminently watchable as the last gasp of a great man.

best entertainment

Beat the Star, ITV1 Wales, Tonight, 6.45pm

DISAPPOINTINGLY this isn’t about a gang of disgruntled licence payers rounding on Vernon Kay in a dark alley armed with several lengths of lead piping. No, the lanky Northerner ex-model instead presents this throwback to the misty Sunday afternoon childhood memories of light entertainment shows such as We Are The Champions, by pitting an ordinary Joe Bloggs against a famous face in a series of mental and physical challenges. This week boxer Amir Khan goes head to head against a policeman, not the first time given the light welter-weight’s recent six-month ban for careless driving. A motoring round seems unlikely.

best awards

The British Academy Television Awards, BBC One Wales, Tonight, 8pm

AWARDS ceremonies, they’ve become a little bit rubbish recently haven’t they? This year’s Oscars and Baftas were a couple of damp squibs and I doubt the news that the ubiquitous Graham Norton (he’ll do anything!) will be presenting this bash will help convert any non-believers. Still, it’s always nice to see that nice David Jason sitting in the audience somewhere, not to mention how, when they invariably go up to collect the Best Soap Award, just how posh that woman who plays the brassy barmaid character on Corrie always sounds in real life.

best documentary

Dom Joly’s Complainers, five, Monday,10pm

BIT of an odd one this. The erstwhile Trigger Happy TV star takes time out from shouting obnoxiously into a large plastic mobile phone in public places to helm a current affairs show described as a cross between Watchdog and Jackass. This week he wreaks havoc on the buttoned-up bods at Exeter, Oxford and Barnet councils for their ad-hoc and draconian re-cycling policies – all the while dressed as a giant bloodhound, no doubt.