Dumb Watch: Up the Amazon without a paddle

THE DESCENDANTS of an explorer whose death in the Amazon has been investigated for a new BBC television series have complained that the programmes are "dumbed-down entertainment".

Rolette De Montet-Guerin, granddaughter of explorer Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett, said she and her mother, Joan, intended taking the case to the Broadcasting Standards Commission.

In the four-part series, which began on BBC2 on Friday, presenter Benedict Allen goes deep into the Amazon to try to discover the truth about the death of Colonel Fawcett, who disappeared in 1925.

In 1951 it appeared the riddle had been solved when the chief of the Kalapalo tribe apparently confessed they had killed the colonel after he upset them.

But, Mr Allen claims, the Kalapolo now say they believe the explorer to have died four or five days' journey east of their lands, possibly at the hands of the fierce Iaruna tribe.

Mrs De Montet-Guerin, 59, a professional violinist who lives in Cardiff, said she was unhappy that Mr Allen described her grandfather as "blimpish" and gung-ho. "Nothing could be further from the truth," she said.

And she was angry that the BBC had failed to make contact to produce a proper investigation into the mystery. She said she knew nothing of the programmes until a newspaper contacted her about it in the summer.

"A very small number of people have any knowledge of this complex character and the BBC did not contact a single one of them," she said.

"This is another example of documentary film-makers treating real-life people with disdain, and all for the sake of dumbed-down entertainment."

Her pre-emptive attack came before the first programme was transmitted. She was particularly angry as the BBC had previously refused to commission two film-makers who had made the effort to view the family archive.

"The real Fawcett story has yet to be made," she said.

However, the BBC said they had tried to speak to the family. Bob Long, executive producer, said: "The producer of The Bones of Colonel Fawcett tried to contact the surviving relatives of the colonel last year, but without success.

"We recently offered tapes of the series to family representatives, but the offer was declined. We do hope that when the family watch the programmes their concerns will be allayed."

And from your letters:

I grew up in the 1970s and remember trade union leader Clive Jenkins, who died last week, from those good old days in black and white. A witty, wily Welshman. I watched the BBC1 news at 9pm to catch his obituary. Photograph came on - yes, that was Clive Jenkins all right. But the accompanying film clip was of someone entirely different. "I'm sure that isn't Jenkins," I said. It transpires that it was the late TUC general secretary Vic Feather. Does anyone get sacked at the BBC for incompetence?

- Sarah Pitt, London, SW15.

Are you opposed to the addition of music to factual, scientific and education programmes on the television and radio? If so write to Richard Tomalin, Pipedown, c/o 52 Linden Close, Aldeburgh, Suffolk IP15 5JL.