BBC2's Tom Hollander sitcom Rev never fails to capture the attention of the Archbishop of Canterbury. "Great viewing," says current incumbent Justin Welby after his predecessor, Rowan Williams, said it was "really rather good". However, Welby's praise is of the qualified variety, as he does not think it is entirely true to life. Well, it is only a sitcom. "The show amusingly depicts some of the challenges facing clergy up and down the country. But while it's great entertainment, it doesn't truly tell the whole story," Welby tells the new issue of Radio Times. "I have a friend who runs a growing church in Reading city centre, filled with young people with no church background; I have another friend who has had to plan two new churches because his congregation is bursting at the seams. Other churches have few people but great impact, again with visionary and inspiring leadership. As with all of life, the picture is complex, but I see plenty of struggle and plenty of grounds for celebration. Therefore, while Rev is great viewing, it doesn't depress me quite as much as you might think!" There's a line for the DVD box set.
