ROBOT WARS, BBC2, 8pm
THE clanky, smoky, fiery series is back and geeks all over rejoice! But apparently, Robot Wars isn’t just for geeks. Anyone can enjoy this, as long as they like seeing eccentric people wheeling out the machines they’ve spent years perfecting in the shed, attaching wheels and spikes and lights and shovels and hammers, only to see their creation mashed into a metallic mess in seconds. Who wouldn’t enjoy watching that?
Dara O Briain presents the new series which is filmed in Glasgow in a specially built “fighting arena” and we see bold robots come trundling out on to the floor with names like Nuts, Razer, Terror Hurtz and Kill-E-Krank-E – the latter being from a Scottish team, naturally. The home-made robots come out swinging hydraulic hammers and blowing flames at one another in “mutual death pacts”. What brilliant fun this show is!
And it never takes itself seriously, with humour always trumping technology. One robot has plastic eyes attached by his creators, and we’re told, “Googly eyes are a must for all robots!” and the commentator continues the comedy, shouting things like, “What a close shave for Nuts!”
FIXING DAD, BBC2, 10pm
WE ALL know the rules and recommendations for a healthy lifestyle: fruit, nuts, oily fish, blah blah blah. It’s tiresome to be lectured by doctors and politicians, so many people just keep on reaching for the comfort foods, the familiar things they’ve known and eaten for years.
It’s not easy to take sudden and drastic advice, especially not from a stranger in a suit.
However, what if it’s not an imperious doctor or a shamed politician who’s trying to change your habits? What if it’s your children?
Geoff’s diabetes and weight gain were so bad that he was warned he might need his foot amputated. His two sons are determined to change their dad’s lifestyle and, therefore, his chances of a decent life. This film documents their brave efforts to deal with their dad, “a stubborn old git”, and his bad habits.
The goal is to get dad fit enough to cycle 100 miles – but their real goal is to save his life.
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