CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews last night’s TV

Alexander Armstrong in Sri Lanka (Ch5)

Judgement:

Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics (Yesterday)

Judgement:

So that’s where all the officials went. In a beach bar with lightning fast WiFi, on the paradise island of Sri Lanka, everyone was busy on their laptops, ‘working from home’.

Alexander Armstrong talked to a tanned millennial who claimed to be writing a novel, but it wasn’t clear why he needed a broadband connection to do so. Maybe this debutante Dickens should check his Facebook every five minutes for inspiration.

Others in the cafe were financiers and programmers, the writer said. I suspect they are council officers from South Cambridgeshire District Council, where, the Mail revealed this week, only six per cent of staff were at their desks in 2022.

You won’t see Xander working from home. Alexander Armstrong in Sri Lanka (Ch5) gives him a chance to explore some of the weirder sights, such as a Buddhist temple with a chamber of horrors and a factory that makes paper from elephant dung.

He enjoyed clowning around on a surfboard and taking part in an exorcism ceremony to rid him of his ‘demons’ – though he’s such an urbane, genteel fellow I’m sure his demons would be willing to do so without protest to leave when asked to do so. polite.

Above all, his travel stories enable him to satisfy his hunger for good food. All his amused detachment vanished at the first sniff of fried rice and chillies at a street stall.

Driving a baker’s tuk-tuk through the streets of Galle, he salivated at the thought of his wares – ‘wholemeal, sourdough, pain au chocolat. . .’

He was so excited by a fish head curry served outside that he hardly noticed the tropical rains starting. And he was entranced by a pungent durian fruit with seeds that he compared to soft, smelly cheese. “You have to be careful,” his guide warned, gulping down another. “All of these fruits can be an aphrodisiac.”

His love for new dishes and flavors is unfeigned enthusiasm. I’d like to see him create a travel show that focuses solely on gastronomy. He could call it Alexander Armstrong Eats His Way Around The World.

A similar craving for spin-offs lurks behind it Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics (Yesterday). Based on the car auction show that has become a firm favorite with UKTV viewers since 2019, the camera crew is seen buying rusty old engines to repair and sell.

Because the TV techs don’t have the expertise to restore the vehicles themselves, they have to pay mechanics, negating any hope of profit.

But the money is not the point. This is a makeover show for petrolheads: instead of someone’s mom getting a well-deserved new haircut, we see beloved family runs from the past get a makeover and a lick of paint.

Alexander Armstrong in Sri Lanka Episode 1 of the Channel 5 show

The headliner this week was a Vauxhall Nova with a 1.2 liter engine. Ten years ago, the auction wizards thought, you could buy one for £50. Now one in new condition can fetch up to eight grand.

DJ Stephanie Hirst of Hits Radio, a Nova enthusiast, brought her mate Tim to inspect it. “Put your head in,” he said, admiring the interior. “Smell the nineties.”

The real star, however, was a 1978 Czech trailbike known as a “yellow tank.” Virtually indestructible, it ran as soon as engine mechanics Brian and Rob gave the spark plugs a polish.

According to auctioneer Dave, punk-era bikes now sell better than 1950s mopeds, once favored by Mods. “It’s an age thing,” he explained. “Guys interested in a Velocette scooter can’t get their legs over the seat anymore. . .’