Animals see off humans in TV trial; ON THE BOX.Byline: Brian McIver Life, BBC BBC in full British Broadcasting Corp. Publicly financed broadcasting system in Britain. A private company at its founding in 1922, it was replaced by a public corporation under royal charter in 1927. 1, Monday, Around the World in 80 Days , Tuesday TWO globe trotting new series started on the BBC this week. One of them was wonderful, the other was mince. While Life, the latest stunning output from the natural history unit, was another licence fee affirming reminder why the BBC is the most important broadcasting organisation in the world, naff fundraiser 80 Days was an hourlong advert for everything that is wrong with the corporation today. The week started so well for the beeb, as David Attenborough Sir David Frederick Attenborough, OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS (born on May 8, 1926 in London, England) is one of the world's best known broadcasters and naturalists. Widely considered one of the pioneers of the nature documentary, his career as the respected face and voice of British narrated Life's wonderful footage, which had been collected by the best wildlife camera crews, enduring the harshest conditions over the three years of production. The series looked at challenges faced by different animals around the world in order to survive, eat and mate, from sparring bug-eyed insects to smart dolphins, a crafty seal and the graceful flying fish. The visuals were eye popping and every penny that has been poured into high-def cameras and film stock is up there on the screen, as cameramen such as daredevil Scot Doug Allan shed new light on familiar animals and gave us a new insight into animal behaviour. The added human element of the 'making of ' segment at the end showed just how much effort and hardship the crew underwent in production, but also just how much they enjoyed it. Frank Skinner and Lee Mack could have used a tiny fraction of that humility and professionalism for their opening round in Around theWorld in 80 Days. The BBC's latest back slapping aren't-we-great-and-caring wheeze wheeze (hwez) a whistling type of continuous sound. wheeze v. To breathe with difficulty, producing a hoarse whistling sound. n. A wheezing sound. to raise money for Children in Need is to send a dozen of their favourite celebs to follow in Phileas Fogg's fictional footsteps. Wouldn't it be easier on us all if the BBC just donated the production budget to charity, and invited donations to keep people like Frank Skinner off our screens? This starry vanity project began with Skinner and Mack leaving London for Turkey. Of all of the comedians doing travelogue telly, Skinner and Mack are the most charmless, and their lame schoolboy humour, combined with a case of mild xenophobia Xenophobia Boxer Rebellion Chinese rising aimed at ousting foreign interlopers (1900). [Chinese Hist. poking fun at foreign cultures, was endurance, not entertainment. Having failed to entertain, the useless sods fell many miles short of their destination after humourless time wasting. They then had the nerve to complain about what a nightmare they had just had and how they were so glad it was over. Not as glad as the viewers were.... CAPTION(S): FACE IT: We see the lives of Grey-Faced Sengi and Aye-Aye, below COMPARE THE MEERKAT meerkat: see mongoose. meerkat or suricate Colonial species (Suricata suricatta) of the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It is a burrowing carnivore found in southwestern Africa that differs from mongooses in having four (rather than : Legend David Attenborough shows us what life is like for these creatures |
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