Telly Text #10: Sweat The Small Stuff + Greggs: More Than Meats The Pie

Words: Jordan Andrew

'Sweat The Small Stuff'

With the success of 'Celebrity Juice' on ITV, the BBC has followed suit by creating 'Sweat The Small Stuff'. Hosted by BBC Radio 1’s Nick Grimshaw each week he challenges team captains Ricky Haywood and Melvin O’Doom from KISS FM. 'Sweat The Small Stuff' is all making a big issue out of the small things in like. Straight off the bat I did wonder what I had let myself in for on a Tuesday evening.

Each week the teams are a range of challenges and are earning points along the way. They start off by playing ‘Quiff of Grimmy’ where the teams have to guess whether will say yes or no, to a question which is usually sexually such as: “Have you had a threesome?” or “Do you name your private parts?” You can generally guess that most of these people would answer as the people they ask and either young or creepy looking.

Another popular game is ‘Ricky vs. Melvin’ where the two-team captains face off against each other in very dumb competitions. Most of their tasks involve asking the general public some quite awkward things, if they asked me some of those things I would have to just walk away while probably giving them evils! Finally there is the ‘Sweatbox’ where members of the audience go into a sauna styled box and get their bonkers questions asked by each team and whichever answer they like is a point for their team.

Now my big issue with this show is that it is trying too hard to be like 'Celebrity Juice'. It has nothing to do with the team captains or the fact it is a panellist show, my problem is that they are trying to make it too sexual to keep up with Keith Lemon and his gang. Nearly all the material is sexual so either they are really insecure or the writers and the whole team have sex on the brain. Overall though, I would recommend watching this show at least once, to decide for yourself whether you enjoy it or not.

Catch 'Sweat The Small Stuff' every Tuesday at 9pm on BBC3 or catch up on BBC iPlayer.

'Greggs: More Than Meats The Pie'

Whenever I walk into a Greggs store, I usually pick up my Belgian Bun, pay the cashier and walk out without a care in the world of how it is made or who served me. With Greggs now being a "faster" food company than McDonalds in the UK, it is a power empire. Sky 1 has now decided to give us a look into the tasty and slightly fattening world of Greggs. Each episode we are given an insight into some of the many branches of Greggs in the UK, as well as the factories that produce the goodies that we love to eat.

You can really see that there are personalities on this show that you would love to serve you on a regular bases. Staff such as Claudette is someone that would wake you up in the morning as you drink your cup of coffee and eat a bacon sandwich. Her tough no-nonsense approach to work but bubbly character makes her one of the stand out people on the show. She knows to work for her money even if it means flirting or getting in for five in the morning each day.

Greggs does more than just serve customers - they actually host events, and serve food in nightclubs, as one Greggs did in Canterbury. Now I have been to some crazy student nights but the thought of eating Greggs while downing vodka shots would probably just make me sick....even just thinking about it....

To film all of this must be quite boring, as you would have to hope something interesting or event to happen. You cannot tell me that all this can happen in a week, quite a lot of this is either staged or the film crew have a lot of patience. But the end result is a real family show - you can sit down together watching this and laugh together at the madness that goes on in all these Greggs stores.

Furthermore, it is amazing to watch the way they mass-produce baked goods each day. If like me you need to a reason to eat that Belgian Bun then stick on this show and tuck in, knowing that it was hopefully made fresh and with great customer service. Sky 1 could potentially have a hit on their hands with show and characters such as Claudette making this a joy for the whole family.

Catch 'Greggs: More Than Meats The Pie' every Thursday at 8pm on SKY1.