India de Beaufort

Poor old Krod (Sean Maguire) is trying to organise a guerilla attack while his gang stand around bitching about what clothes are appropriate for a dress-down Friday ambush. "Guys, guys, GUYS!" he shouts. "We're here to intercept the imperial payroll shipment, OK? So forgive me if I'm all business, but I'm not really in the mood to play fashion police!" But at least their next venture - stealing a priceless gem from the purple cave of a lonely, bisexual cyclops - is more successful. The only downside is that Krod's girlfriend, the promiscuous pagan warrior queen who refuses to wear underwear (India de Beaufort), takes a shine to one Ralph Longshaft. Four episodes in, and it remains as quick-witted, imaginative, funny - and refreshingly silly - as ever.

You want this fantasy spoof to succeed, you really do. The cast is good: Matt Lucas can be funny, India de Beaufort is beautiful and the rest of them have some solid work behind them. And the good news is that it mostly hits the target. The bad news is that it mostly aims for late-period Mel Brooks. The strokes are broader than Mr Tickle's breaststroke.

I don't know what to make of Krod Mandoon - but it doesn't matter, because Sean Maguire looks absolutely amazing. I haven't been keeping a close eye on his career lately and I realise now that this was a mistake.

After EastEnders he went off to become a pop star and mope about in Dangerfield before becoming massive - in every sense - enjoying a successful TV career in the States and bulking up for movie spoof Meet The Spartans. All I can say is - wow! - in a professional sense, of course.

Krod Mandoon - also starring Matt Lucas as evil Chancellor Dongalor - is a medieval spoof. A bit Robin Hood, a bit Blackadder, a bit Shrek, a bit Monty Python And The Holy Grail - although sadly with much, much weaker jokes. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise as it was written by Peter Knight, whose CV includes something called Big Wolf On Campus. What is a surprise though is that the best thing about it is Maguire, who stars as the extremely buff, sword-carrying freedom fighter Krod Mandoon.

Just to underline the cheesiness of it all, he plays it with a flawless American accent, and his girlfriend, pagan warrior Aneka (India de Beaufort) will definitely get the guy vote too. You'll love it or hate it, but you'll be driven mad trying to work out who's under the pageboy bob of Chancellor Dongalor's henchman. Take a bow Holby City's snide (and bald) anaesthetist Keith Greene (Alex MacQueen).

India de Beaufort Interview

IGN TV had a chance to sit down and have a chat with Krod's alluring India de Beaufort. De Beaufort plays the role of Aneka, the pagan warrior princess who, while adept at fighting and acrobatics, uses sex as her ultimate weapon. Or for when, you know, she's bored.