Apologies if you’re already fed up with all the sports-related TV this week, and if you are, I think it’s best you steer clear of Friday’s Opening Ceremony, but the BBC have put out another programme themed around our Olympians which this time is a drama focusing on two champion rowers who won gold medals last time Great Britain hosted the games. Bert Bushnell and Dickie Burnell achieved two of the three gold medals that we won at the 1948 games, both in the double sculls event, but as the drama tells us, it was’m't all smooth sailing for this partnership.

Matt Smith plays Bert, a working class sort whose father pushes him to achieve his rowing dreams while his mother spends most of the time gazing off into the distance listening to classical music. Bert lives in a small family home, works in a job that he doesn’t much care for, and seems to survive on rations of liver and tripe sandwiches made for him by his comely Scottish girlfriend, whom is father sees as a distraction. Read more & comment »

As we head into Olympic Week let’s have a look at some non-sports programmes mst of which do have an Olympic theme.

TV’s Biggest Blockbusters (ITV1, Sat, 8:35pm)
I was always a fan of the list shows that Channel 4 used to air and this ITV1 show looks to be in the same vein as we look back at some of the most watched shows in British TV history. There are the usual suspects here of course including Hilda Ogden’s Coronation Street exit, the final episode of Only Fools and Horses and the 1966 World Cup final however there are some surprises. For example who remembers sitcom Oh No! It’s Selwyn Froggatt or Market in Honey Lane? Well both feature in this list as shows that were obviously popular but stood the test of time. The talking heads aren’t just the usual cavalcade of rubbish comedians but classy sorts such as Michael Aspel and Trevor McDonald. Though there’s nothing particularly original here I still love a good list show as I find them strangely reassuring and will definitely be tuning in to watch this one.

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News from the Tardis today includes current Time Lord portrayer Matt Smith revealing that he’s desperate to get his mitts on tickets for the Olympic rowing events, and also that former Doctor Who star David Tennant has begun filming for new drama, The Politician’s Husband.

Starting with Matt, he developed a love for rowing while filming for new drama Bert and Dickie, in which he plays the role of Olympian Bert Bushnell who won gold in the sport in 1948.

Matt, who stars alongside Sam Hoare in the BBC drama, told the Sun, “Me and Sam would love to go to the rowing…

“But the guys we trained with who were in the Olympics said they only get one ticket each for their families.”

He jokingly added, “If anyone’s listening, if there’s any opportunity…” Read more & comment »