Steven Dean

“I love TV” is a motto I live by, but Daniel thinks I’m just an air-head, and won’t have one in the house. “Sixty channels of shit,” he complains, at least three times a day. Shows just how out of touch he is. There’s far more than that to choose from these days. Apparently, though, in the Dark Ages, there were only four!

Of course, Dan isn’t alone in his blinkered thinking. Some people complain that television has gone down the pan, that Lord Reith must be turning in his grave. I think he was the British Prime Minister or Home Secretary or something, before television was invented. (I can’t imagine no TV at all! What a scary thought.) Anyway, Reith’s concept of television could be summed up in three words: educate, inform, entertain (perhaps he was Education Secretary; definitely a member of the Royal Family, anyway).

Now, I’d be the first to agree that there’s some crap on TV, but, as far as I can see, most of it’s rather fine.

Watch with Grandmother

When I was a child, Gran instilled into me a desire to continually improve myself. It’s something I live my life by and, therefore, television for entertainment’s sake has always taken a back seat. As long as it’s educative and informative, I’m hooked.

Gran and I have always watched lots of things together – anything and everything, really, as our tastes are very eclectic. Obviously, there’s only so many hours in a day, so we like to prioritise.

Typically, our viewing week will include a cookery show (perhaps Freaky Eaters), political debate (say Naked in Westminster), travel show (Sex Around the World is a must), financial programme (100 Percent Sex is far better than listening to the doom-and-gloom-laden Robert Peston) and a relationship series (Snog Marry Avoid or Sex… with Mum & Dad are both excellent). We do know how to let our hair down, too, and always try to make time for a good talent show (Viva’s Pants Off, Dance Off is much better than the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing) or an old-fashioned drama (something with a good story to it, like Cock-Hungry Straight Boys).

Neither of us is prudish, either. If the fancy takes us, we’ll easily watch something a bit more risqué; Generation Sex or Sexcetera, for example.

Pants Off, Dance Off

One thing we avoid at all costs, though, is the News. These days it’s all just sex and filth!

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