It isn't all plain sailing for couples

It has been known for Mr Carroll and I to have the odd disagreement while in a car together.

Anything could cause tension... speed, direction, gear changing, failure to observe other cars/pedestrians/ road signs or deploy the wipers at the appropriate time.

All of which is exacerbated by his failure to know his left from his right.

So hats (or sou'westers) off to Shane Spall, wife of actor Timothy. No simple back-seat driver anxiety for her.

At death's door with leukaemia, Tim and Shane agreed that if he got better, they would get a boat.

If it had been me, I'd have stuck to pottering about on a river. But the Spalls are obviously made of sterner stuff as they set out to circumnavigate the country on their Dutch barge The Princess Matilda in Timothy Spall: All at Sea on BBC4.

This is the third series of their adventures. They had set out with a road atlas, some guidebooks and lots of ignorance about the sea.

You would think that their experiences of rough seas, near misses and the deprivations of life on board would have put them off.

But no. Now they are braving the North Sea as they leave the Moray Firth, turn right and start heading south for the first time since they left London.

The waves are 10 or 15ft, and all Tim can utter is an understated "Oh, I say."

You wouldn't think that a programme that consists almost entirely of the barge ploughing through seas or mooring would be interesting, but it is.

Tim and Shane have taken time to explore and are fascinated by the people they meet and the places they see.

And they are such a likeable couple, even when they have a marital "exchange of views." Tim says he see gannets; Shane that they're guillemots. He sees Spitfires overhead, Shane says they're not.

Despite the waves, half an hour all at sea with the Spalls proves to be an entertaining and enjoyable trip.