Millionaires’ Mission, Wednesday 9pm, Channel 4

Posted by Will Parkhouse

Our rating:
Here’s the plan. Eight British millionaires each put £15,000 in a pot (they’re worth a total of £600m, so that’s small change, basically), head off to a remote Ugandan village and try to use their entrepreneurial know-how to solve its poverty problem.

That’s Millionaires’ Mission, a new four-parter for Wednesday nights. Crass? A little bit, yes. There are a couple of moments when we’re unintentionally reminded of Dragons’ Den – but a version of the show in which those pitching for an investment aren’t desperate lunatics with another crazed money-making scheme, but poverty-stricken Ugandan villagers.

However, the programme gets away with it because the octet of cash cows are both emotionally affected by what they see - and hellbent on making a difference. The point is that they’re supposed to stay detached and use their business brains to get to the root of the problems, not just throw money at people, but during a visit to a run-down local hospital, businessman Steve Morgan falls at the first hurdle. It's one of many.

Comments

[TSITSI NYAMUKAPA]

I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE YOUR SHOW YOU ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THIONGS VERY WELL BUT YOU NEED TO BE STRONG TO DEAL WITH SOMEONE WHO IS SELFISH.THOSE BOY IN UGANDA YOU GAVE THEM MONEY TO MAKE THE CAR FOR THE COMMUNITY BUT THEY USED IT FOR THEIR OWN USE.IF ICOULD GET THE CHANCE AND HELP YOU BECAUSE AM POOR BUT RICH IN MIND.yOU ARE DOING VERY WELL.i WISH I COULD TALK TO YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME OF MY IDEAS

[kicha]

The millionaires were purposely taken to a well off part of the country by Ugandan standards.....theres much worse in other areas...atleast those villagers had water and a place to sleep.....think these business men should investigate the true facts about the situation in other areas and why they were taken to Western Uganda.....a village where the leadership of the country comes from....the one who has been in power for as long as Mugabe has....