46 Minute makeover (60 Minute Makeover)

Member Name: chris212

Product:	60 Minute Makeover
Date:	26/08/09 (205 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gives ideas instead of the bland normal colours and designs

Disadvantages: Does not always appear to be of the highest finish

60 Minute Makeover is another one of those programmes makeover programmes that are there to fill in either the morning or afternoon schedule.

The programme started in 2004 and was originally presented by Claire Sweeney for the first three series before she was replaced by Terri Dwyer for the last two series.

In the first three series of the programme that featured Sweeney, the people that are having the house decorated know that the team are in the house, but were kept out of the way of the decorating team until the makeover was completed. Now in the last two series, while Dwyer has presented the programme, the format has changed, as it is now a surprise make over.

With Sweeney the audience was introduced to the people whose house was being decorated and the designer would go to the house before the makeover was to begin, but in the new format, we are not shown the designer going to the house before hand, but we are told why the house is being redecorated.

The show states that all work is completed within the 60 minutes (although Harry Hill points out in his TV Burp that the actual show is 46 minutes because of the adverts), but we are shown the old items being removed form the house before the clock begins, so it is not really 60 minutes and there are times when the transformation is not completed in time. In the new format, at least the show is honest and show when the transformation is not complete and shows in a speeded up way how they finish. But in the first three series you can plainly see that they have not finished but claim to be finished; you can also see the disappointment on the owner's faces when they see that the programme has failed to finish the makeover in the 60 minutes.

One problem that I have with the show is how honest it is with the viewers, as you can see items of furniture that is being built and other items that would normally take more than the allocated 60 minute to complete, but somehow compete it in the time. This is especially true when outside help is brought in to do a specialised job, and the state that it would normally take a day to complete but somehow do. Either the workmen are slow in doing their job and just rip us off in real life for the amount of time that it really takes or are doing a shoddy job.

This brings up another concern, the quality of the makeover. As during the programme you can clearly see that the quality is not always the highest. Such as when a person is wallpapering, you can see air bubbles underneath the wall paper, or even sometimes the walls have become blotchy.

In terms of the presenting of the show, really it could be done by any person that can be recognised as being on TV before. When Sweeney presented the programme she had done it in a way that she just stood back and watched the other do all the work. While Dwyer is more hands on in the way that she presents. In terms of who I would prefer to present the programme, I prefer Dwyer's style as she is more involved.

On the programme there are a number of designers on the programme, some have only appeared on the programme a couple of times, while others have are regularly on the programme. Some of the designs of the houses that transformed are extreme to say the least, and at times I when the paint starts to go on the walls I think that would not work, but when it is finished properly it actually looks ok.

Overall the programme is not too bad when compared to other programmes, as it actually gives you ideas instead of the bland normal colours. Although if they did do my house I would wonder about the quality of finish of the house at the end.

The programme can be found in ITV 1 and Living TV.

Summary: Ok is there is nothing else on TV