Last Night's TeeVee

My evening began with a hurried dash for the remote control when I suddenly realised that it was twenty past eight and I was missing the Great British Bake Off (BBC 2 8:00pm).

Now I know this show isn't for everyone but I find its gentle pace and quiet approach just what I need after a long day.It like what the amateur bakers say about bread making being therapeutic, it's exactly like that, only I find it better to just watch.

It is so fascinating to watch the contestants try to master the technical challenge, which is marked blind, it is as though all the little loaf of plaited bread shows every different type of personality and how they deal with pressure and following instructions

Last nights episode consisted of flat breads, and eight-plaited loaf and some delicious bagels, I'll admit it, they're a weakness. But beneath the golden crust exterior of this show there is the underlying nature of the production crew, presenters, contestants and importantly the judges willing everyone to do a good, clean, bake because of their shared love of baking and eating. Last years program gave an average 3lb weight gain among the crew and I am going to estimate at least that for the viewers at home!

This is lovely telly to unwind to, I highly recommend it. And I also recommend Accused (BBC 1 9:00pm), it was a great night for British made television. This on off drama part of a series of BBC Accused, looked at gangs and gun crime. Apart from a few stereotypical aspects, one-parent family, council estate, wayward ring leader whose mother was a 'slag' it was very well scripted and acted.

Mo's story starts when she refuses to be pressured by gang members to close her shop for the day in a mark of respect for a boy who dies in a road collision. This upsets the gang who take there revenge on the people she loves.

Olivia Colman, who I have recently been watching in Peep Show, was brilliant as the grieving mother Sue Brown. Colman gave some really beautiful moments that made Anne-Marie Duff look like she was back in her collage play. I was a little unconvinced of Thomas Brodie-Sangster but he is young and will probably be fine actor.

The premise of these dramas is that you see the defendant in the dock at the beginning of the show and then unravels the details as to why they are there and whether they will be found guilty or not. Almost like you would actually see if you were the judge seeing the defendant then seeing the evidence, but I guess this is the point. Being a judge for an hour, something a bit different for a Tuesday evening.

This is the second series of Accused as the first was very successful it is a good format and having only watched this one I will be watching more.