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TV PREVIEWS
Around the World in 80 Trades, Thursday 10pm, Channel 4 
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Ah, remember the good old days, when "business" meant buying some exotic spices, putting them on a boat to foreign shores, then selling them? None of this nonsense about inventing personal fitness equipment and then blaming your colleagues when a brillo-haired fatcat with a knighthood starts needling you.
Enter Conor Woodman: he may have the name of an American action hero, but actually he's a young former City boy from London, with the kind of sensible middle-class good looks of a James McAvoy, and enough entrepreneurial ambition to make an entire Den of Dragons prick up their ears.
For this four-part reality series, Conor has sold his flat, taken the money, and run. His plan is to travel abroad trading goods in an attempt to turn his £25,000 into PURE GOLD – or make a small profit, at least. It's a little bit like BBC3's Last Man Standing, but without the fighting.
Conor starts off by trying to muscle in on Sudan's camel trading business – but the locals are having none of it (apart from one whose camel is about to die). "It appears I've underestimated camel dealer solidarity," says our hero, sadly.
But being a go-getting type of chap, Conor picks himself up and heads to Zambia to buy a job lot of coffee to export to South Africa. Then in South Africa, seeing a couple of gaps in various markets, he buys wine to take to China and chilli sauce to introduce to India. Will he be able to make a profit, or will he return to Canary Wharf with the sound of foreigners' laughter ringing in his ears?
It's a series that'll succeed or fall flat on its protagonist. Luckily, Conor's a likeable guy, who despite his friendly exterior, also drives quite a hard bargain – after all, it's his own money on the line here. Sir Alan would be proud.
by Will Parkhouse, Wednesday 8 April 2009
Picture: Channel 4
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