Undercover Boss, Thursday 9pm, Channel 4

Posted by Will Parkhouse

Our rating:

One of the most impressive things about Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire, now on its fourth series, is that it's a documentary that you can't fail to watch right to the end. Those teary reveals in which deserving folk actually get a surprise reward for their good deeds would warm a heart made of liquid nitrogen.

New two-parter Undercover Boss tries to emulate the s uccess of its sister series, featuring, as it does, big company fat cats dressing down and going to work with the minions they employ without revealing that they secretly earn more money in a day than their new colleagues will make in 10 lifetimes.

The opener saw company director and head of marketing Andy Edge, an eager if uninteresting chap, go to swab the decks and fire the drecks at Park Resorts, a corporation which specialises in British budget caravan park holidays.

He headed off to one of their camps in Norfolk, disguised as Drew, whose cover story was that he was the protagonist in a TV documentary about learning new trades. Within minutes of arriving, he was up on stage trying to entertain children by jumping up and down like an idiot.

Andy soon discovered discontent in the ranks, with the minimum wage cleaners feeling undervalued and a head chef (although that title glamorises what is the worst job in the world) who works 60-hour weeks and who drops bombshells like, "We had environmental health over the other day because someone found a bit of plastic in their cauliflower cheese" with a casualness that was in inverse proportion to Andy's stress levels.

There were some good moments - as expected, though, it was the neat ending which won it, although unlike The Secret Millionaire, we got mixed reactions from both the boss and his dupes.

Picture: Channel 4

Comments

[DAVID SEATON]

have just come back from park resorts sunnydale, touring with a motorhome, bloody waste of time , no toilets/showers on the touring park, yet states in brosure toilet/showe block.

[caitlin]

i went to park resorts last weekend and it was nothing like that. the food was great. get real.well done park resorts