Cardiff paramedic Angie Dymott heads to Guatemala City to work alongside local bombero Wilfredo Ponce, attending emergencies in some of the city’s most dangerous streets
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TV Choice: Masterchef, tough paramedics & zombies
By Hugh FortFebruary 10, 2011
Every week our square-eyed reporters take a look at what’s on TV – the highlights and the lowlights – and pick what they think you should watch or avoid.
Shaun of the Dead, ITV1, Saturday, 11pm
I’m a big fan of Simon Pegg and this zombie spoof stands alongside Hot Fuzz as his finest moment.
Pegg plays Sean, a drifter in a dead end job who has just been given the boot by his fed-up girlfriend.
He makes determined plans to turn his life around, but at the same time the dead rise with the sole intent of eating the living and making a zombie race. Typical.
As the living dead begin to take control Shaun finds himself in charge of an unlikely band of zombie fighters, including his bewildered mum.
It’s a brilliant take on every other zombie film ever made, highlighting the fact that the undead are generally slow moving and easy to kill.
It’s cleverly shot, with a brilliant script and a host of excellent British actors.
It’s on a bit late, but it’s Saturday night man.
Toughest Place to be a Paramedic, BBC Two, Sunday, 9pm
This is an interesting concept.
The show sends British paramedics to some of the meanest places in the world to see how they cope.
In the first episode Angie Dymott, a paramedic from Cardiff, heads to Guatemala City, where she spends two frankly terrifying weeks working in an incredibly dangerous neighbourhood full of street gangs.
When she finds out some friendly Mexican drug cartels are also hanging around, it becomes clear this is a bit different to her usual shifts in Wales.
That said, I look forward to the second series where the South American medics come to England and have to deal with the carnage better known as a Saturday night out in Leeds.
Dispatches: Lessons in Hate and Violence, Channel 4, Monday, 8pm
This cheerfully titled documentary is likely to stir up some controversy.
It sets out to investigate allegations that children in some of Britain’s Muslim schools are regularly assaulted by their teachers.
It also investigates claims made that a selection of these schools secretly have classes in hatred and intolerance.
I hope it concludes that the allegations are totally false.
Masterchef, BBC One, Wednesday, 9pm
Shouty foodies John Torode and Gregg Wallace turn a cooking competition into a ridiculous melodrama in another series of BBC’s long-running culinary show.
It’s a great way of finding the best amateur chefs in the country, but I’ve got to say I don’t really like the presenters.
My main complaint is that, as an attempt to wrack up the drama, they shout at the poor contestants, who are already nervous wrecks.
Aussie Torode is the worst culprit, turning drill sergeant whenever he’s presented with a starter.
“IT’S A WELL COOKED PIECE OF MEAT, BUT THE SAUCE NEEDS MORE SALT, YOU WORTHLESS LITTLE MAGGOT.”
Wallace also has an annoying habit of simply repeating what Torode says, but using different words.
It’s a decent show, but was better with Grossman.
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