When is War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita on TV?
War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita will air on BBC One at 9pm on Tuesday 1 September.
What is War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita about?
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Anita Rani launched their War on Plastic series over a year ago. Now they’re back and just as fired up about tackling the single-use plastic crisis, spurred on by the overwhelming response they have had from the public.
“The nation was ready for this show,” says Anita. “We all watched in horror at David Attenborough revealing what plastic is doing to our oceans, and we needed to know what we could do about it.”
In this follow-up episode, the British staples of tea and sandwiches are first on the menu. Anita uncovers the hidden horror of the plastic in tea bags, while Hugh tackles the 600 million plastic-lined sandwich packets we throw away every day.
“This is bugging me so much,” he says, eyeballing those responsible through the camera. “It’s this ‘widely recycled’ label. The whole thing is an utter nonsense and a total green wash – and it won’t do!”
While answers are demanded from the megaliths of the food industry, the show also visits an ordinary family looking to go plastic-free on a budget. As with the previous episodes, the emphasis is on people power and what all can do to make a difference. Hugh and Anita’s verve is infectious and there are some heartening victories: Burger King announces it will ban all plastic toys from their kids’ meals.
But what about the rise in plastic pollution during the pandemic? Myths about plastic gloves and disposable masks are busted by a materials scientist and the presenters remain hopeful for the future. “There is an appetite for change,” Anita says. Plastic waste reduction could make for a dull subject, but this show manages to be uplifting, informative and even surprisingly humorous in parts.
Main image: War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita. © Jacky Sloane/Keo Films