Me on the telly!
February 17 2014

Picture: BBC
I'm pleased to say that my new Culture Show Special will be broadcast on BBC2 this Saturday, 22nd February, at 9pm. The programme is called The Lost Portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and, rather splendidly, it has already been made a Pick of the Day by the Sunday Times, the Sunday Telegraph, the Mail and the Observer.
Last week the Sunday Times TV critic, AA Gill, described the other TV programme I'm in, Fake or Fortune?, as 'gay Top Gear'. Which I think was a compliment. Either way, I'm hoping he'll like my new programme; it features lots of paintings, a motorbike, and leathers. Tight ones.
Viewing is of course compulsory for AHN readers. And your families. And all your friends. So spread the word!
More details here.
Update - the Radio Times has given the programme a kind preview:
Dr Bendor Grosvenor (the patrician art expert from Fake or Fortune?) has some atoning to do. A few years ago he made himself unpopular by spotting that the Scottish National Portrait Gallery's best known painting of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the face on a million shortbread tins, wasn’t in fact Charlie.
So here Grosvenor sets out to make amends, laying aside his gallery garb in favour of motorbike leathers to bomb around the country hunting for a genuine portrait of Charles Edward Stuart when he was the warrior prince leading the Jacobite Rebellion. The result is a terrific watch, as much history lesson as art caper: biker Grosvenor is a star in the making.
Apologies for the boast.
Update II - a reader writes:
One detects a whiff of Daniel Craig going on.
The blue swimming trunk moment from Casino Royale you mean? Not in this programme alas. But maybe for the future...
Update III - a reader adds:
So that's what you were filming in Scotland when you posted that lovely photo at the beach a while ago? ... Any wet shirt Darcy moments...? Or must we be satisfied with the tight leathers...
Just the leathers I'm afraid. But being in Scotland they did get very wet...