Paul Merton in China

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Paul Merton in China was a four-part television series broadcast on Five commencing from May 21, 2007.^[1] It follows the journey of Paul Merton, comedian and writer, and his translator Emma, as they voyage across the communist state, exploring Chinese culture, expansion and change from Mao Zedong's reign. The series was a hit for Five and Merton confirmed on Michael Parkinson's show that a second series entitled Paul Merton in India had been commissioned. The theme music from Channel Five's advertisement is Michel Legrand's Di Gue Ding Ding, which was also used as the theme music to Heston Blumenthal's series In Search of Perfection aired concurrently on BBC Two. All four episodes will be released on DVD in June.

[edit] Production

During his time making the documentary in the country he was continuously escorted around by government appointed officials, as many documentary makers in the country are, thus Merton was mostly limited to what the officials wanted him to document.^{[citation needed]}
While staying in a Chinese hotel the staff were told to expect the arrival of a "Western celebrity". When Merton and his translator arrived at the hotel, he was greeted personally by the owner thinking he was Paul Martin the former Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin being Merton's real name.