Review: When Harvey Met Bob

By Ian Cullen Dec 29, 2010, 18:05 GMT

Geldof, who is played by Domhnall Gleeson, comes across in this drama as every bit the man that we have come to know and love in the UK, and Goldsmith, who we never got to see to much due to him being more of a promoter than someone you’d see before the cameras, is played beautifully by Ian Hart.

Synopsis: Feature - length drama, which tells of how singer Bob Geldof and promoter Harvey Goldsmith put together Live Aid, the global charity music event.

“This Christmas you can save a life by buying a piece of plastic with a hole in it.” Bob Geldof

Having aired on Boxing Day, ‘’When Harvey Met Bob’ is the story behind Live Aid, and explores the relationship between Bob Geldof and Harvey Goldsmith, and their mutual struggle to get Live Aid up and running in a little over eight months.

Geldof, who is played by Domhnall Gleeson, comes across in this drama as every bit the man that we have come to know and love in the UK, and Goldsmith, who we never got to see to much due to him being more of a promoter than someone you’d see before the cameras, is played beautifully by Ian Hart.

In fact, I couldn’t help but feel that Ian Hart was channelling a younger version of Sir Alan Sugar in parts of this drama, because that’s very much how his take on Harvey Goldsmith came across.

Gleeson’s portrayal of Geldof was fantastic to see. He picked up the accent and the singers mannerisms really well, and I especially enjoyed the scene in which he confronts former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, which was fantastically played out, and evoked strong memories of the actual event, all over the news at the time.

In fact, Geldof was one of only a few men that stood up to the Iron Lady and managed to get her on the back foot.

The way in which the relationship between Geldof and Goldsmith was played out was fantastic television. The relationship starts out as somewhat tense as Geldof, who has the gift of the gab, makes all sorts of promises that he will get Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen to play at the gig, but doesn’t have these two acts signed up to an actual contract.

Goldsmith, who is used to doing things a certain way, is very resistant to how Geldof works and we see a number of tense confrontations played out between the two men through the course of the drama, but also some fantastic comedic moments as well.

Written by Joe Dunlop ‘When Harvey Met Bob’ is a piece of must watch television, and will no doubt get repeated in the new year.

If you haven’t already. Check it out on BBC iPlayer while its still up there. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wympz