Davina McCall: Life At The Extreme. Diving to an all time low... oh my God

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Davina McCall: Life At The Extreme. Diving to an all time low... oh my God

March 12, 2016 - 15:51
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Davina McCall: Life At The Extreme… week two. And I have to grudgingly admit that the footage of our heroine swimming with massive sperm whales was stunning. Pointless… but stunning.

Davina McCall in Life At The Extreme

Davina McCall: Life At The Extreme… week two. And I have to grudgingly admit that the footage of our heroine swimming with massive sperm whales was stunning. Pointless… but stunning.

This is the intellectually-challenged series that assumes that we’re so disastrously dim we can’t possibly understand the mysteries of the natural world until Davina gets involved.

How could we ever comprehend the underwater abilities of whales, dolphins and turtles unless a foghorn-voiced former Big Brother presenter puts on a snorkel and dive, dive, dives?

At first, bobbing around in the mid-Atlantic near the Azores, the terrified star wasn’t too keen. But finally she conquered her fears and disappeared into the deep blue sea. Excellent.

When ocean-going McCall triumphantly returned to the surface, her measured reaction proved that she has the genuine potential to be a very serious highbrow wildlife broadcaster.

“Oh my God!” she screamed. “Oh my God. I got down to the bottom. Oh my God. I feel great. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. I felt really good, I didn’t panic. Oh my God.” Eat your heart out David Attenborough.

Not that Davina sees everything from her own point of view, but here’s her take on turtles: “Like me, they take a breath of air before they dive.” Copycats.

And then down to the depths again. But this time in a mini-submarine that plunged to more than 1,000 metres, where strange creatures dwell.

“Oh my God!” gasped Davina, predictably, while climbing aboard. As a huge eyed grenadier fish drifted into view, Davina’s totally unexpected response was: “Oh my God. It’s amazing.”

Later, she was off to find the whales. And when she spotted one … take a wild guess. Yes, here she goes: “Oh my God. Oh my God.”

But no doubt about it… the girl’s got guts. As she fearlessly frolicked with the biggest species on Earth it was mesmerising. Not in any way informative, but undeniably good telly.

The majestic behemoths came perilously close. “He touched me!” shrieked Davina at one point. “Oh my God.”

The second instalment of this globe-trotting special was so much better than the feeble first. But will the me-me-me host ever stop shouting “Oh my God”? Don’t hold your breath.

There is 1 Comment

LadySG's picture

I want to love it. I don't.
The concept is good. The photography is good. Davina's true grit and guts are good.

Ultimately though any programme about the natural world should let that world shine bigger and brighter than its presenter. This is why Attenborough will never be surpassed. He has the gift of sharing his joy and wonder without it overshadowing the subject.

I like Davina better when she reins it in and offers us quiet contemplation rather than breathy, shouty gushing.

I will keep watching though.