Monday 29 January 2018

Captain Birdseye.

Captain Birdseye has had a makeover, the previous actor Mitch Commins, 68 has been replaced by an Italian born actor Riccardo Acerbi who is some 12 years younger and looks it, which leaves us traditionalists wondering what is going on.

The previous Captain Birdseye was a salty sea dog, sailing the high seas with his crew of young children, helping with his adventures and the eating of fish fingers and had been so since 1967.

The new fellow is a completely different kettle of fish, a much younger chap who likes nothing better than jumping into freezing cold water on a hot summers day with his grandson and is by all accounts what might be considered a sex symbol. He is, unlike the previous Captain accompanied by adult crew and what seems to be his daughter and granddaughter.

Apparently he had to undergo a rigorous audition process where his abilities at water sports, sailing and canoeing stood him in good stead for the role, together with the fact that unlike his predecessor he does not suffer from seasickness.

The very first Captain Birdseye was a West End Theatre actor and stalwart of The London's Theatre Players and appeared in theatrical productions such as, Six of One, Sail Away and  opposite Julie Andrews in The Boyfriend on Broadway in the 1950s.

I'm sure this new Captain will be a big hit, certainly with the female population, though whether this will have a beneficial effect on the sales of fish fingers we will have to wait and see.

There are only two negative aspects to the new advert, firstly, it seems the Captains uniform is incorrect and he has by all accounts been demoted to the rank of Lieutenant, a rather unfortunate oversight by the wardrobe department.

Secondly, we live now in a culture where rumour and innuendo can have a very detrimental effect on the working lives of characters in film and television and I am hoping the change to a new Captain has nothing to do with an allegation of historical sexual abuse against the fictional character Captain Birdseye. The character may have been cast adrift on a boat crewed by nothing but young children but I for one believe he would have behaved impeccably.

Had I written this blog some years ago, I would have finished at the end of the last paragraph but unfortunately nowadays I have to continue and add the caveat, the previous paragraph is a joke! 

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