Johnny Morris

Do you remember Johnny Morris and Animal Magic? Well, somebody at the BBC does and they've decided to resurrect his old gag of lending funny voices to our furry, and scaly, friends.

Morris, mindful of his obligation to educate as well as amuse, used the device sparingly. Walk on the Wild Side, however, tries to fill an entire half-hour with wildlife verbiage and the joke is stretched very, very thin indeed.

Some moments are genuinely inspired. Who amongst us has not laughed at, discussed with friends or summoned up on YouTube the doctored footage of the marmot calling after his mate Alan? And who can blame the BBC for trailing it endlessly to promote the show?

Unfortunately, nothing else in Walk on the Wild Side is anywhere near as funny, clever or perfectly synched. The gorilla squeezing out farts is fitfully amusing, as was Stephen Fry expressing the languid musings of a giant panda. But Walk on the Wild Side is a novelty filler, not an entire programme. Talking animals merit ten minutes' screen time, maximum.

A gorilla with flatulence, meerkats re-enacting The Apprentice, eagles who think they're starring in a Harry Potter film: it's all very silly, very funny and absolutely perfect Saturday teatime viewing. If you missed it last week, Walk on the Wild Side is a revamped version of Animal Magic, the show where Johnny Morris did comedy voiceovers to accompany footage of zoo animals. If you did see it last week, you'll be pleased to know that the marmot who repeatedly calls out to his friend Alan makes a return appearance. Hysterical.

Readers of a certain age will have fond memories of Animal Magic, the highlight of which was always Johnny Morris doing comedy voiceovers of zoo animals. I dimly remember his camel voice being hilarious to my six-year-old self. This new teatime series follows the same principle, but with the likes of Stephen Fry and Jason Manford putting funny voices on footage of animals in the wild. Fry plays a languorous panda reflecting on fame as he chews bamboo. There are dancing badgers and puffins singing Chas & Dave songs. There are ants trying to mug a beetle, a seal waking from a bad dream, and a crime-fighting hawk chasing down bad-guy lizards ("No-one's above the claw"). Some of it's silly, some of it's a bit lame, but parts are oddly brilliant. It's not necessarily the ideas that look good on paper that work best: a rodent repeatedly shouting "Alan!" is very funny, as is a bug hopelessly trying to climb a sand dune. It's simple, innocent fun that grown-ups and kids can laugh at together.

We can't be completely certain where Auntie Beeb got the idea for this rib-tickling wildlife show, but we did see her down Our Price buying a DVD of Animal Magic... In fact, this mash-up of astounding animals with a comic voiceover owes a huge debt to the much-missed Johnny Morris, though it's a darn sight cheekier thanks to the vocal talents of Jason Manford. Smashing family fun.