The Real Marigold Hotel

Inspired by the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, this reality TV show followed a group of aged celebrities as they travelled to Jaipur to see if they could imagine retiring in accommodation (a haveli) in a country with strict social hierarchy and ever widening social inequality.

The three part programme was more about the personalities and how they take to life in India and in fairness most of them seemed to adapt really well.

Chef Rosemary Shrager and actress Miriam Margolyes were the big personalities and at times dominated the programme at the expense of others. Sharager wanted to make sure she could make hearty meals for everyone with fresh ingredients and spices. Margolyes with her flatulence and constant wanting to go for a wee probably due to the meals she was eating.

Sylvester McCoy, Roy Walker were more reserved. Walker reflected he wish he could had visited India with his late wife and certainly missed her when they went to the Taj Mahal. Jan Leeming was equally reflective of life as an older woman living on her own in Britain. Patti Boulaye, originally from Nigeria rather took it all in her stride. Maybe she knew what it was like to be a foreigner in another land.

At the end former darts player Bobby George was the only one who gave serious consideration of living in India. At least it would be good for his arthritis.

It was a fun enough series, some of it was a travelogue as they visited popular tourist sites in the region. Maybe a bit too frothy for my liking. Having visited Rajasthan myself there was more to Jaipur and its people than featured here.