From Paris to Rome with Bettany Hughes

Have to say I've been disappointed with this series. We all know Bettany as the knowledgeable presenter of history docs but, she's been lured into the celebrity road-trip game, which is just another T. V. face getting a free jolly. All we see is Bettany indulging herself, in places she visited on her middle-class teen holidays; swanning around in a classic red Italian sports job. Every other shot shows her stuffing her face whilst effusing over some local delicacy or, waving a glass of wine around luvvie style with periodic breathless exclamations of "La dolce vita". Paris, Provence, Venice, Tuscany, Rome. Beautiful scenery but, we've seen it all before and, she doesn't tell you anything you couldn't have read online or in a holiday brochure. In the end she tries to justify her indulgence by trotting out some cod philosophy regarding life being about enjoying the enjoyment. All right as long as Channel 5 is paying for it eh Bettany?

Stick to the history progs or you"ll end up on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!

In this series we follow Bettany on her trip around France and Italy where she revisits holiday spots from her past. It's boring and tedious, there's nothing unique about or enticing viewers to visit those places. We see Bettany eating some foods and drinking wine but there's nothing really explained on culinary subjects or promoting the local cuisine. The scenes are shot from her chest up (my guess is to avoid showing her tummy) so the viewers can't see the scenery or even the set up of the table. She doesn't divulge much about the places she visited but talks mainly about herself, a bit like Meghan markle in her podcast. After first episode I hate-watched the second one and gave up.