TV magazine

If Clive Myrie asks you to close your eyes and imagine a world without the BBC, you do it. It will look a little different for everyone but, for me, there’s no Traitors, Planet Earth, Interior Design Masters, Panorama, Ten O’Clock News and — perhaps worst of all — no Gardener’s World. Personally, I’m not sure there’d be much point in going on, but others might not even blink.  

The Paris of French crime drama Spiral is not the Paris of Amélie or – mon Dieu – of Emily in Paris. There is barely a beret or bistro in shot as the cops fight crime in parts of the city that no tourist dares to tread. 

Engrenages (“gears” in French) made its TV debut on Canal+ in 2005, crossing the Channel to BBC Four the following year as Spiral.