Boredom punctuated by moments of terror on 'crimebusting' shows

You can tell it's summer as, despite the downturn in the weather leaving us less likely to head outside, the main terrestrial broadcasters don't seem to have anything new for our viewing pleasure.

- Philip Cunnington on TV crime shows

Which is how I ended up watching Doorbell Detectives (BBC1, Mon, 8.30pm), which inexplicably was given a prime-time slot this week before retreating to a more usual daytime airing in a terrifyingly Big Brother-style anti-crime double bill with Scam Interceptors (BBC1, weekdays, 2.30pm).

Watchdog's Matt Allwright - who has carved himself a niche in these low-budget infotainment shows - hosts Doorbell Detectives, standing uneasily in the middle of a set which is part hay-barn and part GP's waiting room.

What little budget the show has is taken up by a floating screen in the middle of the barn, on which Matt can show us grainy footage from doorbell cameras up and down the country.

Apparently, one-in-five homes comes equipped with these mini CCTV rigs, constantly texting alerts to phones across suburbia, alerting home owners to the delivery man chucking a parcel on the doorstep, next door's cat relieving itself on the azaleas, or little Tommy from No.35 belting down the pavement on his e-scooter.