TV reviews: A Spy Among Friends and I'm an Alcoholic - Inside Recovery

I’m an Alcoholic – Inside Recovery, Wednesday 7th December, 9pm, BBC Two

Alcoholics Anonymous is celebrating its 75th anniversary in the UK this year. The first meeting took place in The Dorchester, a famously swanky London hotel, in 1947. From these decidedly un-humble beginnings, the organisation has grown to become a prominent and vital part of daily life for its 25000 members. Today, there are 5000 meetings every week in the UK.

This sober (no pun intended) and quietly moving documentary looks at the ethos that drives Alcoholics Anonymous, and examines the processes that have helped save thousands of lives over the years. Most powerfully of all, it hears first hand testimony from recovering addicts, and even films inside an AA meeting for the first time. And because anonymity is a key component of the programme, the faces of those involved are masked by cutting edge computer technology, so the faces we see are not their own.

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in the US Bible Belt in 1935 by a stockbroker and a doctor, both of them alcoholics. Across the world, the organisation has over 2 million members. It is run by alcoholics, for alcoholics. By 1947, it had moved to the UK – its first meeting was advertised in the personal ads of the Financial Times – the only paper at the time willing to print it.

This sensitive film lays out the key tenets of the programme. The Big Book is a guide to recovery, written by early members of AA, that has changed remarkably little since the 1930s. It’s now published in over 70 languages. We meet Rhys, 17 months into his recovery, who takes the book everywhere with him. He attends a meeting every day, in person or online.

Another key element is faith in a higher power, although in today’s secular world, this can be any power that members choose – it might be, according to one interviewee, Mother Nature, or the Force from Star Wars. Whatever works.

Crucial to the whole process is the role of the sponsor. Each new member chooses a sponsor – someone in AA further down the road to recovery – who will act as their mentor. This relationship is crucial to attaining – and maintaining – sobriety, and can last for decades.

Gaining an insight into the methods involved in helping people escape the clutches of alcoholism is fascinating. But, unsurprisingly, it is the personal testimonies themselves that provide the documentary’s most striking moments. Their stories are heart-rending tales of misery, lost years and self-loathing. Each one had to hit rock bottom before they made the decision to attend AA, and all of them talk of the terror of attending their first meeting. One woman recalls going to her first meeting, and being given a cup of tea only half full, because her hands were shaking so much.

The access the production team have gained for this film is remarkable, and the result is an acutely intimate and moving portrait of addiction and recovery. The courage of those who testify to their addiction and recovery is unfathomable, and their honesty and self-awareness is something to behold.

What comes through with genuine clarity is not just their courage, but also the irreplaceable role that Alcoholics Anonymous has played in their journey to getting well. Each one, without fail, says that AA saved their life. Ultimately, this is a tale of sadness, squalor and fear, but also of redemption and hope.

A Spy Among Friends 1/6, Thursday 8th December, ITVX

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the future. ITV is launching its new streaming service, ITVX, on Thursday, replacing its streaming service ITV Hub. In truth, not an awful lot will change, but two aspects of ITVX are worth mentioning. The first is that, while the service is free, if you pay £5.99 per month, or £59.99 per year, you can watch everything ad-free. Woo hoo!

The second noteworthy thing is that ITVX is making some of next year’s most anticipated shows available early, in their entirety. So, from Thursday, you can binge The Confessions of Frannie Langton, and A Spy Among Friends, all the way through. If you’ve got ten hours to spare, knock yourselves out!

And, on the basis of the first episode, A Spy Among Friends is well worth a look. The six-part drama series is based on Ben Macintyre’s bestselling factual account of secret service agent Kim Philby’s 30-year career spying for the Soviet Union, and his defection to the USSR in 1963.

Guy Pearce stars as Philby, and the story primarily centres around his friendship with fellow Secret Intelligence Service spook Nicholas Elliott, played with characteristic aplomb by Damian Lewis. The story jumps backwards and forwards in time (sit up straight and pay attention, this is not one to watch while doing a Su Doku on your phone) but the gist of it is that Elliott feels profoundly betrayed by his erstwhile friend and colleague.

Or does he? When Philby’s deception is uncovered, it is Elliott who is sent to Beirut to tackle the double agent. But, having spent days on end locked in conversation with Elliott, Philby escapes, and sets sail for his new life in Moscow. (Don’t worry, no spoilers here, this all happens in the opening few minutes).

A chastened Elliott returns to London, where he is called in by MI5, and interviewed by Lily Thomas (Anna Maxwell Martin). Did Philby really escape, or was he allowed to get away by Elliott? And if so, why? For old times’ sake? Or in exchange for some vital information?

The story is set in 1963 and, with the Cold War at its height, London seems to be awash with spies. They’re loitering on street corners, swapping newspapers in churchyards, and seemingly every taxi is being driven by an operative for one side or the other. It’s all deliciously cloak-and-dagger stuff. Also, everyone smokes like a chimney and drinks like a fish. It’s a miracle anyone made it through the era.

But there’s much more going on here than simply a tale of men in trilbies sneaking about in the shadows. There are undercurrents of social class, snobbery and sexism, with the SIS still run as a boys’ club for former public schoolboys. It’s also a story of personal, as well as national, betrayal, and Damian Lewis is marvellous at conveying a proud man haunted by what he did, and didn’t, know about his friend. Pearce, meanwhile, is excellent as Philby, seemingly a pillar of the establishment, all ‘old beans’ and cricket whites.

If you like your spy stories to be massive, explosive-fuelled blockbusters a la Jason Bourne or James Bond, you’re going to be disappointed. There isn’t so much as a car chase, a gunshot, or a dead body in episode one. Instead, this is a grown up, intelligent, riveting espionage tale in the tradition of George Smiley. And, extraordinarily, give or take a few scenes for dramatic licence, it’s all true.

The best… and the rest:

Monday 5th December

Winter on the Farm 1/5, 8pm, Channel 5: Presenters Helen Skelton and Jules Hudson once again host a week of live wintery shows from the gorgeous Cannon Hall Farm in south Yorkshire with brothers Rob and Dave Nicholson and their Farmy Army of experts always on hand. JB Gill joins the team along with The Yorkshire Vet’s Matthew Jackson-Smith and Shona Searson. Expect plenty of pre-festive fun on the farm, with insights into how the farm’s animals are adjusting to the colder months, beautifully shot films exploring the British countryside, plus a celebration of local crafts and producers, food and drink, and much, much more.

The Big Quiz: Coronation Street v Emmerdale, 9pm, ITV: Stephen Mulhern hosts the annual titanic clash between ITV's biggest soaps. Tensions run high as the casts of Coronation Street and Emmerdale battle it out to find out who knows their soap the best. Joining Coronation Street team captain Jack P Shepherd this year are Sally Dynevor (who plays Sally Metcalfe) and Ryan Russell (Michael Bailey). Over on the Emmerdale team, Nicola Wheeler (Nicola King) and Jurell Carter (Nate Robinson) play alongside their team captain Mark Charnock.

My Dead Body, 10pm, Channel 4: When Toni Crews discovered that her cancer was terminal at just 29 years old, she was determined to continue to raise awareness and help others understand cancer even after her death. She not only agreed to donate her body to medical science but also chose to give consent for it to be on public display, the first instance of its kind in nearly 200 years of dissection. Narrated by Toni's own words, this film follows Professor Claire Smith, head of anatomy at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and her team, as they dissect Toni's body and chart the course of the disease from the initial diagnosis to her death four years later. And while the scientists follow the journey of Toni's cancer, her family and friends tell the story of Toni's approach to both her life and her death, and offer through home video footage and beautifully frank interviews a glimpse into the person she was and what drove her decision.

Tuesday 6th December

Jamie’s Easy Christmas 1/2, 8pm, Channel 4: Jamie Oliver kicks off Christmas 2022 with some amazing, easy dishes to see us all through the festive season, from party menus to the main event of Christmas dinner itself. In this episode, Jamie shows us some simple, no-fuss dishes to get everyone in the party spirit, from crispy duck and noodles and short rib beef, to veggie filo pie and a decadent dessert.

The Secret World of Christmas Chocolate, 9pm, Channel 4: Jo Brand unwraps the naughty and nice stories of our favourite Christmas chocolates and the annual battle as they each attempt to reign supreme. The key brains in this industry reveal how, for 50 years, Quality Street and Roses dominated the market, before new players Ferrero Rocher and Mars shook things up. They reveal the secret of what it takes to compete year-on-year in a world where tradition and nostalgia mean everything and attempts to be different can backfire spectacularly.

How to Crack the Class Ceiling 1/2, 9pm, BBC Two: Why are young people from working-class backgrounds faced with barriers when trying to break into some elite professions? Amol Rajan investigates classism in Britain’s top jobs as he searches for possible solutions. In this new two-part series, Amol meets people who have found their own ways to hack the class system, from a school etiquette class to a university soft-skills workshop. But with industries such as banking and the law traditionally dominated by the middle classes, can these tips and tricks help candidates with less privileged backgrounds secure their dream jobs?

Wednesday 7th December

Gino’s Cooking Up Love 1/2, 9pm, ITV: Gino D’Acampo believes that food is the key to finding love, his great-grandparents, grandparents, his parents, and himself all found true love through a shared love of food. Now, Gino is inviting six food-loving singletons to the beautiful island of Sardinia, to help them find love the Italian way: through cooking and eating spectacular food. He is opening the doors to his very own cookery school, where the students will meet and cook alongside each other in the hope of igniting passion in the kitchen. Concludes tomorrow.

Dodi: Last Days of a Playboy, 9pm, Channel 5: This feature documentary goes beyond the image of a pampered playboy portrayed by the media, to reveal how an isolated, lonely boy had to deal with his parents’ divorce at a young age, built a career in Hollywood and ended up dating the most famous woman in the world. It’s a story of a billionaire fighting the British establishment, a princess in conflict with the Royal Family and a son who had failed to live up to his father’s expectations until the tragic summer of 1997. Until now, the narrative of their doomed romance has only been told from one side – Princess Diana’s. This 90-minute feature-length documentary reveals the untold story and life of the other passenger in the car, Dodi Al-Fayed.

Thursday 8th December

Christmas at Blenheim Palace 1/3, 9pm, Channel 4: Celebrate Christmas 2022 at some of the UK's most recognisable stately homes in this magical three-part series, beginning at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. For the first time, cameras have been given unprecedented access to Blenheim's most important season - Christmas. This year, around 250,000 visitors will flock to marvel at the breathtaking state rooms and sprawling grounds transformed into an unrecognisable winter wonderland. Inside, the palace becomes the stage for retelling Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen, with each state room representing a different part of the story.

I Am Ruth, 9pm, Channel 4: Kate Winslet and real-life daughter Mia Threapleton star in a brand-new feature-length instalment from the BAFTA-nominated and female-led drama anthology series I Am, created by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Dominic Savage. The fictional storyline for I Am Ruth was developed and co-authored by Savage and Winslet, who together have conceived a story for our times about the endemic mental health crisis affecting young people. Winslet stars as Ruth, a loving and concerned mother who witnesses her teenage daughter Freya (Threapleton) retreating into herself as she becomes more and more consumed by the pressures of social media.

The Man Who Took Shannon Matthews, 9pm, Channel 5: With exclusive access to family members, neighbours and professionals who knew Michael Donovan, and using drama reconstruction – this is the untold story of the man who abducted nine-year-old Shannon Matthews in 2008 and kept her in his flat for 24 days before she was found in a dramatic rescue by the police. One family member reveals for the very first time a new reason why she thinks he agreed to take her. The documentary contains other first-time revelations from family members.

The Confessions of Frannie Langton, ITVX, from Thursday: A four-part drama, adapted by author and writer Sara Collins from her breath-taking debut novel of the same name. Set against the dazzling opulence of Georgian London, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, narrates Frannie’s (Karla-Simone Spence) journey from a Jamaican plantation to the grand Mayfair mansion of celebrated scientist George Benham (Stephen Campbell Moore) and his exquisitely beautiful wife, Madame Marguerite Benham (Sophie Cookson). In a misguided and monstrous gesture Frannie is gifted to Benham by the man who owns her, John Langton, and she is employed as a maid in the household much to her chagrin.

Friday 9th December

Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, 8pm, Channel 4: Kirstie Allsopp's back and she's tailoring Christmas 2022 to suit you with some fabulously festive crafts. Two special little helpers learn how to turn lonely old socks into fun festive friends. Embracing the wintery theme, Kirstie is let loose on a block of ice with power tools, before going inside to learn one of this year's hottest new crafting trends. In the kitchen, Kirstie overcomes her fear of making pastry, with a decadent choux pastry wreath, and shows us that craft and cooking go hand in hand with Christmas crackers made from pasta. And to wash it all down, she serves up a boozy hot chocolate that's sure to warm your cockles. Kirstie also makes bespoke wire decorations and miniature walnut dioramas, and shares tips on how to make personalised paper to add an extra sparkle to your wrapping.