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The Real Marigold Hotel: This passage to India is a quirky test for a cheeky, likeable veteran crew

All roads lead to Udaipur: from far left, Selina Scott, Peter Dean, Ian and Janette Tough, Bob Champion, Susan George, Stephanie Beacham, Syd Little and Stanley Johnson: BBC/Twofour/Nikolaz Godet
All roads lead to Udaipur: from far left, Selina Scott, Peter Dean, Ian and Janette Tough, Bob Champion, Susan George, Stephanie Beacham, Syd Little and Stanley Johnson: BBC/Twofour/Nikolaz Godet

There is a strange story, oft-repeated, that Inuit tribes in the Arctic would put their infirm elderly on to floating ice and push them out to sea to their deaths.

There is no evidence to suggest the practice ever existed but the concept nevertheless prevails: it speaks to our fear of age and decline and the distance we try to put between ourselves and those who remind us that we’re not going to live forever.

And now the BBC, so often accused of ageism, has found a way to turn the idea into weeknight entertainment. How jolly.

The 2011 feature film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel saw a group of English retirees — played by Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith et al — up sticks and head to India to see if the winter of their lives could still bear fruit. It was a charming, culture-clash comedy, and turning it into a real-life series seems organic and authentic.

The Real Marigold Hotel: The new series starts tonight (BBC/Twofour/Nikolaz Godet)
The Real Marigold Hotel: The new series starts tonight (BBC/Twofour/Nikolaz Godet)

This is the third incarnation, and while it is far from riveting television it is pleasant, watchable and vaguely informative (BBC1, 9pm).

One or two of the faces may not ring any bells but they are an amiable crowd, sent to live together in Udaipur for a month to see if they could contemplate retirement there.

They include comedian Syd Little, who cringes when he discovers that the chickens he wants to cook for dinner have to be killed first. Stanley Johnson, dad of Boris, is at times infuriatingly posh but he is particularly game to learn and experience the locale.

And while former EastEnder Peter Dean may demand attention less than some of the other “senior citizens” (narrator Tom Hollander’s words, not mine), he has an undeniable twinkle in his eye.

There is fun to be had in seeing our motley crew squirm at new experiences but, curiously, the most enjoyable aspect of the programme is watching some of their behaviour betray their roots. Journalist Selina Scott, elegant and inquisitive, interrogates those she meets as if she is conducting an investigation. Bob Champion, the former Grand National champion jockey, exhibits vigour and enthusiasm when given the chance to get back on a horse during a polo lesson.

Taking part: Stanley Johnson (BBC)
Taking part: Stanley Johnson (BBC)

And ultra-glamorous actress Stephanie Beacham is at her best when showing her picky side. “That was truly disgusting,” she says as she finishes a snack in a café. “What was it?” her compatriots ask, assuming she has tried a local delicacy. “A packet of crisps,” she replies, incredulously. “I don’t eat crisps.”

For me, however, the show is firmly stolen by comedy duo The Krankies, aka husband and wife Ian and Janette Tough. Those who have never warmed to their lively if simple humour are unlikely to be won over but I found them chronically hilarious.

Janette, famously diminutive, struggles to climb up onto the bed when she is shown her room: “I’ll need a ladder!” she shouts, pulling herself up. It’s not exactly whip-smart, laugh-out-loud comedy but they are an endearing pair whose evident adoration of each other is adorable.

The Real Marigold Hotel is solid tea-time television and is a sweet accompaniment to an evening on the sofa. Its cast — particularly Scott, Beacham and The Krankies — are relatable, curious and game for new experiences.

If only they were being trusted to participate in exciting and current projects instead of the televisual equivalent of being pushed out to sea on floating ice.

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