TV Safe Space

I’ve had two safe TV spaces this past week by way of escape from the unrelentingly desperate viewing of the war in Ukraine. One has been Marcus Wareing delighting in his Kitchen Garden – his grinning pleasure in his new found chef’s paradise is infectious. Lucky old Marcus to have an established expert gardener already working on site to up the ante with him and the camera crew. Yes, I know it sounds naff but it really has lifted my spirits. Roll on the summer to even my own mini plot. The second more surprising joy came from the return of Crufts with its evening highlights TV show. Clare Balding led the pack, introducing the show with canine partners of varying shapes and sizes– always a delight. But then, as well as watching whatever weirdly coiffured pet had just won ‘Best in Group’ we were treated to a series of hilarious races and high jinks that it seems dogs and their owners, are keen to practice and prance about for: ‘Heelwork to Music’ made me laugh out loud. Finally, what is normally an escape route for me, namely a live football match whether on TV or preferably in real life, has now become mired in warfare. Dodgy football investors have long been bubbling in the background but now the lunacy of billionaire funding cannot be ignored.