Daily Mail columnist Paul Connolly published a wide-ranging archive of opinion pieces and commentary between December 2010 and March 2020, tackling national policy, personal grief, and major television events for the British newspaper.
Writing on 31 March 2020 at 21:40, Connolly warned that Sweden faced potential catastrophe due to its unconventional response to the coronavirus pandemic. Sweden remained the last major European country to keep most of its schools, bars, and restaurants open as usual, leaving ministers facing public fury as deaths were set to soar.
Connolly noted that Swedes generally prefer to blend in rather than stand out, adhering to the cultural concept of Jantelagen. Described as the Scandinavian equivalent of Australia and New Zealand's tall poppy syndrome, the term roughly translates to "Don't think you're better than anyone else." According to Connolly, this cultural mindset left many citizens feeling uneasy about the government's distinct approach.
A photograph published alongside the March 2020 article depicted Swedes gathered in Stockholm during the preceding week.
Personal memoirs and royal grief
In addition to political commentary, Connolly shared personal reflections in an article published on 19 April 2017 at 17:35. He detailed how his world collapsed following the death of his 84-year-old mother on Christmas 2016.
Connolly wrote that he was stung by regret from a childhood memory when he was four or five years old. Reflecting on public expressions of grief by Princes William and Harry that same week, Connolly observed that no man is ever too old or too young to be poleaxed by the loss of his mother.
The 2017 piece featured photographs of Connolly alongside his mother and his twin daughters, Leila and Caitlin.
Funeral coverage and live television reviews
Connolly frequently evaluated broadcast media, including coverage of the funeral of former Prime Minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher on 17 April 2013 at 14:34. He criticized ITV presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby as out of their depth, remarking that "Gordon the Gopher could've done a better job!"
While praising the BBC and Sky News for excellent but restrained early coverage, Connolly noted that Sky News presenter Tom Parmenter fared even worse than ITV's hosts, receiving a "handbagging." He also highlighted that ITV broadcast an episode of The Jeremy Kyle Show titled "Who’s my father: the man I called dad or his best friend?" during the funeral coverage.
His television reviews covered major awards shows and radio broadcasts throughout 2012 and 2013. Reviewing the 2013 Brit Awards in February 2013, Connolly reported that host James Corden's script failed to impress, describing Corden as "99% beefcake with just a little touch of horse."
In January 2013, Connolly reviewed comedian Alan Carr as "garishly camp," adding that "anyone who tasers Wossy and Jimmy Carr gets my vote!" In July 2012, he wrote a farewell piece on radio host Chris Moyles, describing him as a "cultural barbarian" who spent time "Glorying in his own ignorance and talking drivel with his hyperactive team."
Royal wedding and entertainment commentary
Connolly offered scathing critiques of reality television and pop music performances across 2011 and 2012. In October 2012, he condemned reality show The Valleys as "the most vile TV show ever," criticizing its inclusion of "Same-sex snogs, tattoos on fooffoos and no charm whatsoever."
Following a performance by rock band Blur, Connolly questioned in February 2012 whether the group should perform at the Olympics, writing that "They sounded like drunks who had invaded the stage at the Brits." In April 2011, his review of Royal Wedding broadcasts targeted "orange tans, the unsightly tattoos and the excitable roving reporters."
His commentary also tracked major television series and music milestones. In October 2011, Connolly argued that "Without acerbic Simon Cowell at the helm, X Factor is falling apart." In December 2011, he published a guide to pantomime performances titled "It's Pantomonium: From a bumper crop, where to find the best villains and dames." In December 2010, he profiled singer Ellie Goulding as she prepared to welcome the New Year following her single Starry Eyed.
The Apprentice and television highlights
Connolly devoted regular coverage to BBC series The Apprentice, tracking candidates and boardroom decisions by Lord Alan Sugar. He reported on Lord Sugar hiring candidate Stella despite an earlier boardroom outburst, and documented candidate Stuart Baggs coming undone as "Blustering 'Baggs The Brand' finally comes undone as Lord Sugar hires his firing squad."
In other Apprentice commentary, Connolly highlighted Lord Sugar directing his "stubby finger of doom" at candidate Liz rather than "useless" Bagpuss, while noting in another installment that "Laura Moore might be gone, but things are hotting up nicely in the boardroom."
His broader television column covered diverse programming between 2010 and 2011. Reviewing the drama Accidental Farmer in December 2010, Connolly wrote that "Not even the prospect of wallowing in a bath of mince pies and brandy could make me feel charitable about Accidental Farmer."
He praised a television science feature involving felines, remarking, "Moggies tripping on LSD? That's what I call a telly science show." Additionally, Connolly described panda Pin Pin as a "real flop as pandas go," and detailed how comedian Al Murray's character performance in "How the Pub Landlord bombed in Germany."
