TV Review: Paul Merton's TV Adventures (Channel 5)

NOW here’s a fellow that gets around. Paul Merton’s jetsetting series – Paul Merton’s TV Adventures – may have hit the halfway point, but that doesn’t mean it’s showing any signs of slowing down, as the comedy legend steps foot on American turf in the Sunshine State.

Florida is one of Britain’s best-loved holiday destinations. With theme parks, world-famous restaurants and (almost) year-round sunshine, what’s not to like?

Merton gets himself in with a local family, but their love for rollercoasters does not sit too well with him, and so he moves off the beaten track at the Okeechobee County Fair, where he gets together with Charlie, who is keen to show Merton that there was life before theme parks in Florida.

Of course, Merton has only become known for his travel jaunts in recent years – it was among the comedy circuit that he made a name for himself, inspired to get into the industry after watching clowns at a circus.

However no matter what he turns his hand to, there’s not a chance he can complain of a boring day at the office. And it’s his love of people that’s found him fully throwing his weight behind this latest travel series.

“I like eccentrics – people with a different approach to life,” he says. “When I was 16, I thought, ‘I don’t want to do a nine-tofive all my life. The idea of travelling on the same train for 50 years fills me with horror’. So now I’m very impressed by anyone who wants to get away from it all and do something different.

“I get a great buzz out of meeting people.

I spent three years working at the employment office in Tooting, where I had to interview 16 people a day. I learned then that listening is key, everything stems from that. If you don’t listen, then an interview will never work.”

As well as getting to know locals, the itinerary for this trip sees Merton betting on pig racing, exploring the spiritualist community of Cassadaga, home to various psychics and mediums, and becoming an ambassador for the Conch Republic, in Key West. He also visits a dog show called, wait for it, Woofstock.

But fans of his comedy needn’t get too worried just yet because he going back on stage with a new stand-up tour in 2012.

IT must be a hard life; being so beautiful that the only thing you have to worry about is being outshone by your equally-as-beautiful other half. The downside of being one half of a practically perfect couple, though? Just imagine the wait you’d have for the bathroom in the morning.

The self-proclaimed good-looking couples taking part in reality show Hot Like Us are ready to set a few things straight, and in the meantime attempt to bag themselves a modelling contract with a leading agency.

They’re challenged to live together and compete in a series of relationshipthemed tasks to prove their worth. First up, the group takes part in a David and Victoria Beckham-style underwear photo shoot, but it’s not all fun, games and pouting – they’ll be judged by Jody Furlong and Emma Kenny.

SOME people leave an indelible mark on society. Steve Jobs was one of them as the documentary iChanged The World demonstrates.

Jobs, who died a few weeks ago, also made such a huge impact on the world by founding the Apple computers behemoth and being one of the driving forces behind the Disney Pixar film-making empire.

This documentary explains how a college drop-out from San Francisco became one of America’s most successful innovators and entrepreneurs, and one of the wealthiest men in the world.

The programme features contributions from those who knew and worked closely with him over the years, There’s also an exclusive interview with the man himself, speaking a year after he was first diagnosed with cancer.