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BY JENNIFER 11 Mar 2010 02:03
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Former champion skier and “glamorous international property broker” Dina Karpova saw a gap in the market - and promptly filled it. Her latest venture? She helps fellow super-rich Russians fast-track their children into England’s most prestigious public schools.
Sally Ashby’s blink-and-you’ve-missed it programme, part of Channel 4’s First Cut new talent documentaries strand, attempts to give an insight into the world of Dina and her clients - but at only 23 minutes long, it feels a bit like an extended trailer or an infomercial. Surely it would be worth bumping it up to an hour and giving it a better time slot at some point? After all, I can think of several hour-long Channel 4 shows that could have been cut in its favour.
Instead, the programme seems like a missed opportunity - although there are several eye-opening moments, mostly provided by English toffs. For example, Dina has teamed up with educational consultant Charles Bonas - who looks a bit like Ant McPartlin in a hall of mirrors.
Charles helps run English Mentors - a company that offers residential courses in country houses where well-heeled Russian kids can learn the life skills and confidence necessary to acquire a public school education. Sample activities? Polo, clay pigeon shooting, etiquette lessons and a trip to the Houses of Parliament. It’s endorsed by the Duchess of York - so it must be good.
The programme raises plenty of questions. How much does Dina charge for her “fixing” services? What’s her success rate? How do the Russian kids fare at public school? But sadly, there doesn’t seem to be time to answer them or to introduce someone with an opposing viewpoint - so we have to make do with a frustrating glimpse at a clearly fascinating subject. Go on, Channel 4, commission a full-length version!
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