Britain’s Secret Treasures Review: "Bettany Hughes and Michael Buerk try to make history fun!"

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Prime Time at 'Unreality TV' have also reviewed "Britain’s Secret Treasures" (Matt D., 'Britain’s Secret Treasures Review: Bettany Hughes and Michael Buerk try to make history fun!', Unrealitytv.co.uk, July 16th, 2012).

[T]he emphasis is on the word Britain as we are told that all these artefacts were found by the ‘Great British Public’ as a camera sores (sic!) across our country accompanied by the strains of Coldplay’s Vida La Vida and the authoritative voice of Michael Buerk. Buerk is the co-anchor of the series alongside funky historian Bettany Hughes who wears a cool little denim jacket over he puffy pink dress while the former news anchor is dressed in a rather snappy white jacket which unfortunately makes him look like a tour guide at the London Museum (sic) where the majority of the action takes place. [...] This first half hour programme only dealt with the numbers 50 to 44 and it was an odd mix of poignancy, boys with toys and remembering war heroes. [...]  Overall I would say this was an odd attempt by ITV to tap into the TV history market, as we went from one man reliving his traumatic experiences in the Middle East, to a Who Do You Think You Are style moment in which we remember those who had died in the wars and this was all within the time of 24 minutes. [...]  I can’t help thinking that most of the entries here bear massive similarities to a lot of filler pieces from The One Show.

 This reviewer was put off by the lack of a common theme in the episode, jumping from topic to topic and mood to mood in an attempt to "make history fun" (isn't it?).

Britain's Secret treasures, ITV 1 16th-22nd July 2012