The Secret Millionaire

Anyone else been watching The Secret Millionaire?


Been quite enjoying it myself - and C4 desperately needs some new hits.

It is from the RDF stable and is basically Wife Swap without the wifes - but it's also without the rows and a much more positive programme.


The premise is simple - a (usually rags-to-riches) millionaire goes undercover in a poor area to find people they can help by donating some of their own money to them.


The first episode was very much feel good TV with a youth centre and local legends being the focus of the episode, though last weeks in Liverpool wasn't quite as good.

Tonight though it was back on form with three very different causes ending up with money - a couple struggling with their business, a foster carer trying to start a child minding business and a father who moved down to be near his ex wife and kids.


A couple more episodes left, and hopefully it'll get recommissioned as the last generation of RDF programmes begin to lose their appeal.

I watched a bit of it it's very good, ratings are good getting more than 3 million viewers.

They've grown well over the series, beginning at just over 2m and now at nearly three and a half million. Should make a second series a certainty.

This programme seems to be going from strength to strength - it's not often that what is basically a social documentary makes such feel good TV.

A nice twist also having the father and son - though the father was hardly the best undercover actor in the world initially!


Also afterwards C4 advertised a related programme starting now on The Community Channel, "supported by the major UK broadcasters".

Never seen C4 or any other station do this before - though they did make the mistake of saying it is on Freeview. Well, it might be, but not at this time at night!

This programme reduces me to tears especially when the millionaire gives out the money. I've watched the last 2 episodes and I do hope that there is a second series.....

Another good show last night, though I suspect many following the series didn't know it was on, and ratings reflected that.

I think it should get a second series considering ratings did rise consistantly with the four episodes shown before Christmas - and I've not really seen many negative reviews about the show - in fact it's one of the most positive shows on TV in a long time.

It's also so much better than ITV's attempt at getting Millionaires to give money away!