This Time Next Year: surprisingly upbeat and almost schmalz free
Davina McCall is a brilliant host of this surprisingly upbeat and almost schmalz free show which I would normally avoid like Donald Trump at a beauty pageant.
Submitted by Bobalice24 on Wed, 02/11/2016 - 22:54
By Alice Taylor @bobalice25
Davina McCall is a brilliant host of this surprisingly upbeat and almost schmalz free show which I would normally avoid like Donald Trump at a beauty pageant.
The premise is simple. People who have life changing goals are filmed one year before broadcast and then we, the viewing public, get to see whether they have fulfilled their achievements one year on.
This could result in reams of footage featuring the participants and their various struggles. Instead what we see is a lovely, neat encapsulation of each individual case ranging from weight loss, IVF treatment and an adorable pensioner looking for love. The stories are treated respectfully without being over sentimentalised.
Of course there is one story, left until last, which is incredibly emotional. In this episode, James who overcame his stammer to make an inspiring speech to pupils at his former school.
I do wonder what happened to the people whose lives didn't change for the better and must have surely missed the final edit of this unashamedly feelgood show. But all round a great job from ITV and a great, compassionate and non patronizing host in Davina