In truth I think we have suffered from a degree of "Afghan fatigue" amongst the viewing public. To date there have been some very fine series and films on the war in Afghanistan and a few rather lacklustre ones that, it seemed to me, just wanted to jump on the band wagon.

I have been at this game for many years and have often despaired of the dumbing down of British TV - a process that has been accelerated by the proliferation of channels all vying for the viewer's attention. The response to Royal Marines: Mission Afghanistan has renewed my faith in the British TV viewer.

Tonight, I have a new series going out on Channel 5. I want people to watch the Royal Marines at work. This is a very special breed of men doing the toughest of all jobs in one of the most ferocious parts of Afghanistan.

Radio Times editor Ben Preston has been forced into a swift apology after a saucy marine took the opportunity of a photo-shoot to to put to bed any a...