Neil Morrissey, Care Home Kid

TV is getting far more in depth and hard hitting as broadcasters finally realise that not all the nation is obsessed with reality singing, dancing and even dating shows.

One key example of bringing the two worlds together – that’s hard hitting plus a celeb – are the number of “insightful” programmes that are on looking at their lives, their pasts and their quest to overall be a better person – Who Do You Think You Are anyone?

Taking a similar stance from this is new documentary, Neil Morrissey:Care Home Kid, which aired on BBC2, which stars – well Neil Morrissey.

Behind his funny exterior, it turns out Neil had a very hard childhood. After the usual childhood ventures of stealing sweets and a few pence from people’s trousers in the sports club changing rooms the then 10 year old star and his brother were sent to children’s homes as a punishment. Neil was at Penkhull children’s home in Stoke-on-Trent until he was 17 and was lucky that the home was not the stereotypical children’s home but his brother who died a while back wasn’t so lucky. Neil however never found out if his brother suffered at the hands of staff here. Despite his personal issues and hatred however, Neil takes on the chance to find out if things are better for children in care homes today.

So he does what anyone in his shoes does and starts at his beginnings going back to his home, meeting people he lived with and picking up his old files.

He also speaks to social workers who made the decision to give him and his brother such tough and life changing sentences.
A moving piece of television but one that shows how good can come out of such failure by the state.