Review: Coast, BBC2 (From Blackpool Citizen)

Review: Coast, BBC2

3:18pm Friday 30th July 2010

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FROM the opening bars of its orchestral score to the spectacular panning shots from the air, it’s nice to see that the Beeb still puts on programmes you can rely on.

Yes, Coast is back — a glossy magazine of the TV schedules that brings out your inner nerd.

The format remains unchanged — various boffins tour the UK bringing us little snippets on the way. Coast should be made compulsory viewing for all 14-year-olds. It’s the entire GCSE syllabus in one hour-long package.

What lifts it to a different level are the presenters, an eclectic mix of experts who seem so thrilled to have been let loose on their favourite subjects that they can’t wait to share their discoveries with the rest of us.

Led by historian Neil Oliver of the flowing locks, who clearly still dreams of being in a rock band, their enthusiasm is infectious.

You’ve got map man, Nicholas Crane, a man who harks back to the age of the gentleman explorer braving the the most challenging conditions armed with nothing more than his trusty umbrella. Then there’s Doctor Alice, the flame haired sex symbol of the group.

Plus you’ve got all those magificent aerial shots. If Coast were ever cancelled, the helicopter rental business would collapse overnight.

Quality TV is a rare commodity. Long may Coast continue.

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