Michel Roux's Service

I have never been a follower of reality TV, but this series gripped me utterly. I could not wait to see the next episode as Michel Roux took a handful of unlikely candidates and set yet another daunting task in the restaurant industry. The basis of the series is that a group of young hopefuls (one a part-time dinner lady, one a mother at sixteen, another the recipient of an ASBO at fourteen)are briefly trained for the next challenge, but then are effectively 'thrown in the deep end' at more and more prestigious establishments, trying to achieve the ultimate goals : scholarships to train as a master sommelier and as Front-of-House in the restaurant industry. The presentation of the programme is such that the audience will come to admire the determination to achieve of the candidates, and I would challenge anyone to say that ultimately he/she did not root for a personal favourite. Michel Roux and his small team of tutors are superb throughout, giving gentle support when required or maybe a necessary kick-up-the-backside. The Charisma of Michel Roux and his chosen guinea-pigs add an extra dimension to what is not just another documentary. This series is well worth viewing - why ever did the BBC not commission a second series?