Stacey Dooley's Australia: reviewers split on Kangaroo Island travelogue
The first episode of Stacey Dooley's Australia (Channel 4) takes the presenter to Kangaroo Island, recovering from bushfires seven years ago. The Daily Mail and Guardian reviewers both find the presenter's approach awkward, for different reasons.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Stacey Dooley's Australia: Off the Beaten Track, a Channel 4 travel series whose first episode aired this weekend, opens on Kangaroo Island, reached by a 45-minute ferry ride. The GuardianLC “Here she is on Channel 4, fronting the inoffensive schedule-filler Stacey Dooley's Australia: Off the Beaten Track.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Daily MailR “Taking a 45-minute ferry ride from Melbourne on the south coast, she arrived on Kangaroo Island” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The Daily Mail's review says it is the first of six episodes; the two reviews differ on the ferry's departure point, the Mail saying Melbourne and the Guardian Cape Jervis in mainland South Australia. Daily MailR “Other segments of the episode, the first of six” Read at Daily Mail ↗ The GuardianLC “takes the 45-minute ferry ride south-west from Cape Jervis in mainland South Australia” Read at The Guardian ↗ Mixed · 2The island has about 5,000 inhabitants and is comparable in size to Cornwall; the Guardian says it is a bit bigger. Seven years ago it was hit by bushfires, which the Guardian says destroyed half the island. The GuardianLC “Australia's third-largest island is a bit bigger than Cornwall, but home to just 5,000 people. Seven years ago, half the island was destroyed by bushfires.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Daily MailR “about the same size as Cornwall” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2Dooley visits an animal sanctuary for orphaned kangaroos and koalas, set up during the fire, and meets a sheep farmer whose house was engulfed by flames and who has video of the fire; asked about it, the farmer says "It's hard to put into words." The GuardianLC “"It's hard to put into words," says Ben, a sheep farmer who lost his house and flock to the inferno.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Daily MailR “an animal sanctuary that cared for orphaned roos and koalas, set up after the bush fires wiped out much of the island's wildlife” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The episode also shows Dooley with a volunteer fire unit, snorkelling or swimming in cold water (the Guardian says with seals), and training with the local Australian rules football club, where a teenager called Jack has a mullet haircut. Daily MailR “she joined a volunteer firefighter unit to learn how they tackled blazes.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ The GuardianLC “a boat trip to swim with seals”“bonds with 17-year-old Jack, whose extreme mullet” Read at The Guardian ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail's Christopher Stevens writes that Dooley "loves to wallow in trauma and tragedy" even on holiday, seeking drama from people who did not want to relive the fire, and could not decide "whether she wanted heartbreak or high jinks"; Stevens contrasts this with Simon Reeve, who "sticks to his subject". Daily MailR “Stacey couldn't make up her mind whether she wanted heartbreak or high jinks.”“But Reeve sticks to his subject: he doesn't go surfing or swimming with dolphins.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Left · 1The Guardian's Jack Seale reaches a different verdict, saying the investigative reporter is lost when a subject lacks exploitation or outrage, with bland remarks such as "top tier" and "Unbelievable!"; the review calls the show a pleasant but fluffy schedule-filler and says there are signs Dooley may find a voice, with the football club segment a high point. The GuardianLC “the investigative reporter seems lost when tackling something that doesn't feature exploitation or outrage”“Happily, there are signs that Dooley will find her voice.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1The Guardian places the show in Dooley's career: BBC Three documentaries on child labour and exploitation, a Strictly Come Dancing win in 2018, and a current three-documentary BBC One run on murder, suicide and addiction. The GuardianLC “she's in the middle of a three-documentary run on BBC One, dealing with murder, suicide and addiction” Read at The Guardian ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- A review of a presenter out of their element: an investigative reporter handed a light travelogue and struggling to find words.
- Emphasis
- Dooley's earlier investigative career, the vivid kangaroo-mother anecdote, and the presenter's bland on-camera phrases; ends mildly positive about the football segment.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not suggest Dooley goes looking for trauma; instead says the fire is a natural thread of the episode.
- Charged language
- “fluffy”“inoffensive schedule-filler”“It was hard work”
- For example
-
“presenting this fluffy show is beyond her” — The Guardian
“We need you to try, mate.” — The Guardian
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- A mocking review that casts Dooley as unable to stop emoting over tragedy, even on holiday, and as performing empathy.
- Emphasis
- Dooley's "heartfelt emoting", locals' reluctance to dwell on the fire, comic moments such as knocking over a traffic cone, and a comparison with Simon Reeve.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Dooley's wider BBC documentary work or the sanctuary's rescue stories in detail.
- Charged language
- “wallow in trauma and tragedy”“Performative empathy”“carrot-haired Essex girl”
- For example
-
“Even in holiday mode, Stacey loves to wallow in trauma and tragedy!” — Daily Mail
“Performative empathy is the current celebrity trend” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- The episode is set on Kangaroo Island, a roughly Cornwall-sized island of about 5,000 people reached by a 45-minute ferry.
- The island was hit by bushfires seven years ago.
- A sheep farmer says the fire is "hard to put into words".
- Dooley trains with the local Australian rules football club and meets a teenager with a mullet.
- Both reviewers find Dooley's on-screen reactions uneven.
Where accounts differ
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What is wrong with Dooley's approach
- Left
- Guardian: Dooley is an investigative reporter who struggles with a light, outrage-free subject and resorts to platitudes.
- Right
- Daily Mail: Dooley seeks out trauma and tragedy on holiday and cannot choose between heartbreak and high jinks.
-
Ferry departure point
- Left
- Guardian: Cape Jervis, mainland South Australia.
- Right
- Daily Mail: Melbourne, on the south coast.
Stacey Dooley person
As portrayed by the reviewers, Dooley treats the island's bushfire past with emotion and tries the local pastimes. Dooley is not quoted commenting on the reviews.
“'I'm a bit nervous,' she declared” — Daily Mail
“"I didn't quite realise it would be this spectacular.” — The Guardian
Left1 article
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The GuardianLC · · Opinion
Stacey Dooley’s Australia: Off the Beaten Track review – presenting this fluffy show is beyond her
Critical Opinion review saying the investigative reporter lacks the knack for light travel television, though it finds the show pleasant and some hope ahead.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
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Daily MailR · · Opinion
Dismissive Opinion review mocking Dooley for chasing trauma and emotional moments on a holiday show.
- 8 Nov 21:58 First Daily MailR Even in holiday mode, Stacey loves to wallow in trauma and tragedy! CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Stacey Dooley's Australia Opinion
- 8 Nov 22:00 +2m The GuardianLC Stacey Dooley’s Australia: Off the Beaten Track review – presenting this fluffy show is beyond her Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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