Going Around

THIS YEAR the TV coverage for Crufts was generous timewise so I was looking forward to how the new-look programmes would work. Having spent a few days writing articles and uploading photographs, I settled down to viewing the programmes on catchup.

- Andrew Brace

The opening scene was of Clare Balding, who I greatly admire for her expertise and manner, and Alan Carr who I usually find irritating at best. Minutes into the two-hander my irritation was confirmed! I’m not quite sure who Iwan Thomas is but his promotion of the French Bulldog as ‘the most popular breed in the UK’ would have had the puppy farmers rubbing their hands with glee I’m sure. I could have lived without the ‘objectifying dogs’ spot which discussed the pros and cons of dressing up dogs which led into ‘The Pooch Price Is Right’ – well, one mention of the P word makes me squirm – which made us suffer several more valuable minutes of silliness.

Next came the viewers’ ‘dogalike’ slot where viewers sent in photographs of their dogs who their owners claimed looked like ‘celebrities’… clearly some viewers are visually challenged. Jessica Holm was joined by Nim Patel, a veterinary nurse, to discuss nutrition which was fairly constructive (apart from the tasting session when Messrs Carr and Thomas had to decide which of the food samples were manufactured for human consumption and which for dogs).

With Alan Carr on board the Fabulous Willy jokes were all too predictable but it was good to have a reminder of past BIS winners. The visit to ‘Supervet’ Noel Fitzpatrick’s establishment which specialises in orthopaedics and neurology was very impressive… then more trivia when Mr Carr had to match four breeds with their rightful owners where he failed miserably.