I’m usually very sceptical of this kind of programme. With good cause too. There are a hell of a lot of ‘improve yourself’ progs knocking around, and most of them live on Channel 4. The latest, and oddest, is Ballet Hoo! Ballet Changed My Life.

The basic premise of the show is to get the rough kids of Brum working with the Youth at Risk charity workers, and get them to channel their anger into… ballet.

Obviously, there’s a lot of serious talking to the yoofs to be done. Naturally, the kids (of varying dreadful backgrounds… care homes, abuse, violence) play up with their unruly behaviour, which threatened to overwhelm the Ballet Hoo project. The kids all, thankfully, took to the task with gusto… and there was me thinking that they’d merely brand the whole thing as ‘gay’ or whatever ver kidz say these days.

They were all hoping to make it onto the stage with the Birmingham Royal Ballet for a production of Romeo and Juliet. It’s sold to them as a dance of high violence (well, there are lots of killings and death in it isn’t there?) and the tough guy roles were keenly contested. Some of the troubled-teens are transfixed with the idea and, quite unbelievably, passionate about the thing. Others aren’t fussed.

In a rare moment of TV honesty, they show the dreadful lives complete with warts. Normally, these shows only dip a toe into the darker side, but some of the participants lives are just so bad that focusing on the project is nigh on impossible. A stone hearted fool like me actually felt for these poor, poor kids. Those who give it their best shot are warming enough, but you almost wish the folly of ballet would be ignored, and an olive branch extended to those who have a life so tough that prancing around in leggings won’t help one bit. Strange and compulsive viewing… and I’m still undecided where I stand on it.[Mof Gimmers]