Great Canal Journeys

Having been a long time fan of Prunella Scales, I approached this series with interest. She was great as the long suffering Sybil Fawlty, and better still as Miss Mapp in the miniseries Mapp and Lucia.

Seeing her with her husband of many decades traveling down canals was a great treat. I was amazed that the couple found so many unusual and out of the ordinary places to visit.

I'm going to sound ancient, but here me out. This show is so much more than a travelogue. It's a documentation on how a couple who've been together for over 50 years are still going strong. Compare that to most couples today who split up. It's also a release from watching copious amounts of sex, swearing and violence, as well as D-list celebrities in the jungle munching down on kangaroo privates or gangs of orange, fake-tanned morons who can barely count past two.

Who knew how beautiful a leisurely float through the British countryside could be. This show is like therapy for the eyes. Prunella is a peach and I know what I want to do with my life come summertime.

A brilliant series that works on so many levels - travelogue, history documentary, living with Alzheimer's story and, most successfully, insight into a couple who are still devoted to each other after so many years.

Happy to say that, after a number of e-mails to the production company Spun Gold and numerous promises of imminent dee vee dee (sorry, a rather over-zealous IMDb thinks capitalising dee vee dee is shouting) releases, I've finally heard that a two-disc 'highlights' package will be released on July 3rd. At last!

In a televisual age where almost everything you watch contains sex, violence or overly competitive people being horrible to each other it is truly wonderful to watch a programme that is totally innocent.

As much as I love canals and boating the real attraction of this show is watching two delightful people sharing happy moments in the twilight of their years together.

The genuine love they have for each other brings a warmth to my heart that simply no other T.V show does at his moment.

I can only hope that Tim and Pru stay fit and healthy for as long as possible so we can share more wonderful moments with them.

10/10