Guest Author - Joanna Czechowska
Recently there was an article in The Guardian headlined ‘Why is the One Show so bafflingly popular?’ The answer is that it is safe, comforting and not challenging intellectually – perfect viewing for its 7pm slot when people are just home from work.
The One Show (shown on BBC1 from where it gets its name) is hosted by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley. They are actually a rather unlikely duo. He is middle-aged, cubby-faced with a lugubrious manner and strong Birmingham accent. Previously he was known for hosting a financial show and doing football commentary. He comes across as slightly grumpy and a little fed up.
Christine Bleakley is in her 30s, comes from Northern Ireland and is pretty, dark, cheerful and perky. For people of a certain age, the programme is just like Blue Peter for adults. (For those outside the UK, Blue Peter is a children’s show where the three presenters go on outdoor adventures, make little gifts from things found around the home, discuss their pets, tell historical stories, organise fundraisers for the Third World etc). The One Show is much the same without the pets and craft making.
Every week a guest joins them on the sofa. Usually it is a celebrity who has a new DVD or is starting a show. There are also pre-filmed features about wildlife, historical houses, people who have done extraordinary things etc. There was a regular segment where a particular celebrity was taken back to their childhood home, shown around and recounted their memories.
On Friday, Christine Bleakley became the first woman to waterski across the English Channel to raise money for Sport Relief. She was an absolute beginner and viewers had followed her training for a few weeks. The English Channel is an extremely busy shipping route and is also very cold, dirty, stormy and dangerous. However, she made the crossing to general delight and raised huge sum of money for charity. This was a very ‘Blue Peter’ type escapade.
The One Show makes us remember our childhood, it makes us feel safe and secure. We stay at home while others waterski the channel – it is the television equivalent of comfort food. That is the reason it is so popular – not really so baffling, is it?
