Channel 5 TV - The Motorway Map of Britain

[wrinkly]

No idea whether this is any good but it's on Channel 5 at 20:00 on Friday (8 March).

[Steven]

No idea whether this is any good but it's on Channel 5 at 20:00 on Friday (8 March).

I believe there's due to be at least one expert who does know what they're talking about on there...

[Chris5156]

No idea whether this is any good but it's on Channel 5 at 20:00 on Friday (8 March).

I believe there's due to be at least one expert who does know what they're talking about on there...

[Bryn666]

If it was on ITV that'd presumably be Stephen Mulhern...

[chaseracer]

Domestic Management turned to me yesterday evening while perusing the cultural treasures available on Sky TV. "You're strangely and inexplicably fascinated by this sort of thing," said she, "so I've set it to record for you."

Definite keeper!

[Chris Bertram]

Well done Steven! A decent programme and you came over much better than, say, Jonathan Glancey who appeared to be trying to look over his own eyebrows (I should say that I have enjoyed his writing in the Grauniad and elsewhere).

[roadtester]

Well done Steven! A decent programme and you came over much better than, say, Jonathan Glancey who appeared to be trying to look over his own eyebrows (I should say that I have enjoyed his writing in the Grauniad and elsewhere).

Yes, very good, both Steven and the programme in general.

[Sabrista]

Just watched on catchup as was out this evening - very interesting programme... and of course always great to see Steven as the voice of authority there!

Thanks to reading this thread before watching, I laughed at Jonathan Glancey's eyebrows rather more than I should have, however!

Serena

[Scratchwood]

Decent programme. If in the future we are to have a heritage Motorway where you can actually "drive", the likes of the M45 and M50 need to be preserved for this!

[Gareth Thomas]

Decent programme. If in the future we are to have a heritage Motorway where you can actually "drive", the likes of the M45 and M50 need to be preserved for this!

There was an April Fool story on here a few years back that the M45 was being turned into a "heritage motorway", and only vehicles built before the mid 1970s could use it.

I believe there's due to be at least one expert who does know what they're talking about on there...

I had no idea what you looked like but as soon as I saw your name flash up, I said out loud "I know that guy!". My partner looked at me as if I was insane and then went back to his Facebook chat.

I enjoyed the programme - and the others in the series look interesting too. I did wonder when it was filmed - the copyright said 2023, but they had references to the A1 being upgraded to the A1(M) - which happened a few years back - as if it had happened very recently.

[skiddaw05]

I recorded it and have just watched it, it was really good and Steven you have an excellent presenting style!

I was also fascinated by the bit on sign design, the idea that you look at the shape of words which is lost if they are capitalised seems fairly obvious but it had never occurred to me before. Has the sign designer been made a Dame?

[swissferry]

Has the sign designer been made a Dame?

She has an OBE. I'm not too knowledgeable about the honours system but I don't think an OBE allows you to use the title Dame.

[exiled]

Stop spoiling the ending! Watching it today and want to see the twist. I have a fiver on it that the butler did it in Gordano with an AA book of the road.

[exiled]

Has the sign designer been made a Dame?

She has an OBE. I'm not too knowledgeable about the honours system but I don't think an OBE allows you to use the title Dame.

It doesn't. In the Order of the British Empire (and other orders where a title is given as well as the letters) the top two ranks give them KBE/DBE (knight commander or dame commander) and GBE (knight commander grand cross or dame commander grand cross)

[Steven]

Thanks for the positive feedback!

It's one of these things that you don't get to see the finished product until the same time as everyone else, so it's always a bit nerve-wracking beforehand in case they've played silly idiots with the editing and made you look stupid. But they played it fine - though I was amused by the person complaining about motorway traffic levels whilst clearly not being on a motorway!

It's also one of these things that's easier to do the more experienced you get at it.

[FleetlinePhil]

Well done Steven! A decent programme and you came over much better than, say, Jonathan Glancey who appeared to be trying to look over his own eyebrows (I should say that I have enjoyed his writing in the Grauniad and elsewhere).

Another thumbs up here. A very assured performance, Steven, you are clearly much more comfortable in front of the camera than I proved to be!

And I agree with Chris about Jonathan Glancey, one of a few excellent print journalists I can think of who don't quite transfer well to the screen - Sophie Grigson proved a huge disappointment, I recall.

The only (very) minor flaw in my view to be some b&w footage of someone driving a LHD car at a point when we were supposedly referring to British motorways, not German autobahns.

[exiled]

Thanks for the positive feedback!

It's one of these things that you don't get to see the finished product until the same time as everyone else, so it's always a bit nerve-wracking beforehand in case they've played silly idiots with the editing and made you look stupid. But they played it fine - though I was amused by the person complaining about motorway traffic levels whilst clearly not being on a motorway!

It's also one of these things that's easier to do the more experienced you get at it.

You came across as a natural, there are presenters of programmes that have their own name in the title less at ease. That takes skill and practice.

[exiled]

And I agree with Chris about Jonathan Glancey, one of a few excellent print journalists I can think of who don't quite transfer well to the screen - Sophie Grigson proved a huge disappointment, I recall.

I know what you are saying. I have the history books of Dan Jones on kindle and audio, well written and well presented. He reads his own books on Audible in English and the books come across as a good history book should, that it is a story. On TV his presenting can often feel uncomfortable, and I don't really want to say it but sometimes they feel like a pay cheque gig.

[ellandback]

they had references to the A1 being upgraded to the A1(M) - which happened a few years back - as if it had happened very recently.

I may have misunderstood, as my watching of the show was interrupted by domestic matters, but took that to be a reference to the ongoing works on the A1 around Gateshead. Did not think they were upgrading to (M) at that location, however, so was similarly confused albeit for a different reason.

But yes, well done Steven. Did you know you were going to be badged as a "Motorway historian" and is that a well-paid vocation?

[Steven]

But yes, well done Steven. Did you know you were going to be badged as a "Motorway historian" and is that a well-paid vocation?

They did ask me what I wanted to be credited as, and I think I gave them two or three options, none of which was that! I'm quite happy with it, especially given some of the alternatives they might have made up.