I think Fake or Fortune? (BBC One, Sundays) could be the best television show ever made. It’s certainly better than The Wire and definitely on a par with The Sopranos – and I’m only half joking. Fiona Bruce and art dealer Philip Mould are brought a painting by a member of the public, purported to be by a famous artist. Their mission is to prove whether it is the real deal or not. It’s a straightforward premise, but the resulting programme is magnificent, and perfect Sunday night viewing.
To make a further comparison to a TV show, it’s Columbo for art geeks, only much better, because unlike in the adventures of our dirty mac-wearing buddy, here there is a proper element of jeopardy at play. Our Columbos, Mould and Bruce, don’t always come up with “just one more thing” to crack the case.
