Helen Bach Column: Back to school equals better television
You can tell when it's heading towards Autumn and the kids are going back to school, as that's when the television schedules start to have great shows in them again.
There's always a Summer lull in proceedings: do schedulers assume that we all go somewhere exotic for the entire time? I've been nowhere other than a few days out, so I'm relieved that the weather vastly improved from our washout start.
Anyway, back to the telly, and I'm delighted that Monday's quiz night on BBC2 is back to normal - it's Mastermind, followed by Only Connect, and then University Challenge. I may not get many questions right, but I enjoy taking part!
As for new stuff, there's going to be a detective programme, starring David Mitchell and set in Cambridge, which I'm hoping might be that city's Morse equivalent? I will watch and report back.
Strictly also returns, and I'm looking forward to my weekly dose of fake tan and sequins - and watching the celebs and professionals dancing of course!
But I'm currently hooked on Celebrity Race Across The World. Now, I'll be honest, I'm not usually keen on 'celeb' versions of shows which normally feature ordinary folk. However, this is great television, even though I don't know some of the contestants. The format is unchanged from the 'civilian' version, and this time they are travelling across South America, not allowed to fly, and with a limited budget.
Kelly Brook/Parsons/Parisi is funny, well-aware of her previous so-called 'lads' mags pin up' status, but refreshingly down to earth and happy to run around free of make-up and sweating profusely like a normal human being.
Scott Mills and his husband ended up working in a 'sweet factory', but it was more like an old lady's front room, and she didn't speak English and they didn't speak any Portuguese, but they still got on like a house on fire.
If you haven't seen it you can catch up on iPlayer, where I also found a hidden gem - the first ever episode of Strictly from 20 years ago; let's just say production values have vastly increased since then!