The One and Only Cilla Black, ITV - TV review: A national treasure who never forgot where she came from
No one does it quite like Cilla, and no one ever will
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Even before the Bafta-nominated biopic aired last year, ITV made sure Cilla Black knew just how cherished she was.
The One and Only Cilla Black was an enjoyably nostalgic hour when it first aired in 2013, but last night's repeat, marking the recent passing of the First Lady of Light Entertainment, was genuinely moving.
Someone had the clever notion to superimpose modern-day Cilla on to archive footage, so she could personally guide us round the Liverpool of her youth. There was the working-class Scottie Road neighbourhood where she grew up in a flat above the barber show; the Iron Door nightclub, where she first sang on stage; and, of course, the Cavern, where she knocked about with sometime collaborators, The Beatles. Here was a national treasure, who never forgot where she came from.
A one-off return of the beloved Blind Date plucked at the heart-strings, as all Cilla's familiar catchphrases came rushing back, while tribute performances from Katie Melua and Alison Moyet were both underwhelming enough to emphasise last night's main point: no one does it quite like Cilla, and no one ever will.
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