Anneka Rice is back on TV, and frankly, I don’t know what I’d be doing without her.she is back Challenge Aneka (Saturday), Channel 5 is back for the first time in nearly 30 years. The rice doesn’t seem to be ripe, still looks greatWisely, the officers in charge decided not to interfere with form or detail, so the lovely soundman Dave returned as Rice’s loyal companion.
The format is not obsolete because it still exists all over TV – DIY: SOS is Challenge Anneka presented by
Nick Knowles. Each week, Rice conducts community renovation or construction projects with the help of willing volunteers. This includes Rice and her production team calling and asking people to donate their services. “Hi, I’m Aneka Rice from the Challenge Aneka Program. Did you know?” she says in one call. Not so, says the young man on the other side. Rice knows how to fix this. “Is there anyone a little older than you?”
The first project in the series was the renovation of an animal rescue center near Biggin Hill, Kent. This meant building a new kennel and outdoor playground, and setting up a hydrotherapy pool for Mogwai, his only two-legged pug. I met many dogs, including the inseparable odd couple of Lightning (Lurcher) and Baba (Little Mongrel). “Oh my God, Dave, we have a lot of work to do,” Rice said. “We can do it, Annie. If someone can do it, so can we,” said Dave. And they did so with the help of a team willing to work through the night to complete the project.
I’m not sure how these companies can afford to donate time and materials, but one man said, “My boss loves dogs, so I’m doing it for free.” So cute, no wonder the lady who ran the center was in tears thinking of them. And in good news, Lightning and Bubba were reported to be “happily happy” at their adoption home.
All the while, Rice has been so enthusiastic, warm and generous that I couldn’t imagine anything that would surprise her. “Uh, thanks for scratching your back,” she said to the guy at the electronics store.
Challenge Aneka was not my favorite Aneka Rice show at the time. It was Treasure Her Hunt, a frenetic game her show in which she flies across the country in search of her clues. Perhaps it could be next on the resurrection list?
