In 2007,BBC launched a show called Last Man Standing,each season of which featured a group of athletes from different fields who travelled the world,competing with one another and locals in tribal and traditional sports. For the third season,the show was modified to have female contestants instead,and called Last Woman Standing. This show,broadcast on BBC in 2010,is now on air on History TV18. It features five women who begin their journey with the Kamaiura Tribe in Brazil,known to be some of the fiercest wrestlers in the world. For five days the girls live with the tribe,engaging in Huka Huka wrestling competitions first with them and then each other to earn the title of the last woman standing. In the second episode they travel to the Mato Grosso region of Brazil,living and competing with the Xavante Tribe in log running. Six weeks with six different tribes in Brazil,Philippines,Indonesia and Mexico are broadcast as six episodes,at the end of which one woman will be adjudged the overall winner.

Whos in it?

Five girls from five different fields – Lesley Sackey,a boxer from London; Anna Campbell,a wakeboarder from Kenya; Alex Alam,a personal trainer from Essex; Joni Swanston,a rugby player from Northern Ireland; and Natalie Smith,an endurance athlete from Newcastle are the competitors and the focus of the show. Besides them,each episode also features the local tribes that they live and compete with. Theres also a narrator who makes the show that much more likeable.

Whats hot?

Theres a lot to like about this show. For one,theres no host running around the competitors telling them what they must and must not do. This leaves the focus on the girls and the tribes which is ideal. A host,we think,would only add confusion. Right from the interaction between the girls and the tribes to the behaviour of the girls themselves,theres nothing on the show that seems scripted. Besides that,Last Woman Standing introduces

its audience to tribes that are otherwise fiercely private some dont even allow visitors to enter their area without permission but who are incredibly charming and fascinating in their own right.

Whats not?

With as many positives as there are,the show leaves little to be desired. If your attention span doesnt permit you to sit for long periods watching anything that doesnt contain ridiculous amounts of action or drama,the hour-long show may get monotonous after a point. Each episode does,after all,feature only one challenge. But besides that,there isnt much to complain about.

Should you be watching it?

Absolutely. Give those unending soaps and sitcoms a miss and watch a couple of episodes of this,instead.