A night of pure TV gold. (Part two)
Over on BBC1, it was obvious something was wrong as soon as the Strictly Come Dancing results show began.
Bruce and Tess announced that the voting lines had been frozen, which didn’t make sense.
Until you realised that the public could not influence the fate of Tom Chambers and professional dance partner Camilla Dallerup.
After two dances, Rachel Stevens and Vincent Simone, together with Lisa Snowdon and Brendan Cole, had tied for first place with 75 marks.
So as joint top of the leader board, they were both awarded three points.
Leaving Tom and Camilla in third place with just one point.
As Strictly fans will know, the judges have 50 per cent of the final mark, with the other 50 per cent in the hands of the public phone vote.

A night of pure TV gold. (Part one)
The right singer crowned winner of The X Factor 2008.
Plus drama and a big surprise in the Strictly Come Dancing Semi Final.
Within minutes of Alexandra Burke’s deserved X Factor victory last night, this image of her CD single cover arrived in my in-box.
The moment she was joined on stage by her hero Beyonce Knowles to duet on Listen will live long in the memory.
As will the relief on Simon Cowell’s face after Alex, 20, was announced as the winner.
She was clearly in a different class to runners up JLS and third-placed Eoghan Quigg.

ONE Foot In The Grave writer David Renwick can sometimes be mistaken for a younger Victor Meldrew.
Ask him about writing a script and his replies will include words like “agony” and “torment”.
And then there’s his explanation for bringing back Jonathan Creek after a five year absence.
“I had three options. I suppose,” he told me.
“Retire, which is becoming increasingly tempting.
“Or go away for the best part of six months and struggle to come up with something else that interested me.
“And then sit and write it and decide whether I liked it and then try and interest someone else in it.
“Which even if the BBC had bought it, would take the best part of another year, just going through the system, and then all that time delay.

HIS job is to deliver a vision of the future.
Peter Salmon is the first Director of BBC North, based at MediaCity in Salford Quays.
In his first interview since his appointment was announced this week, he told me: “We’ve done good things in Manchester.
“Now we can do truly great things here.”
I spoke to Burnley-born Peter yesterday, shortly after he visited the rapidly developing site where he and 2,400 BBC staff will be based by 2012.
You can read the online version of today’s MEN news story here.
But I thought those interested in the issues might like to read more of what he said.
As well as seeing a wider selection of the excellent MEN photos taken by my colleague Chris Gleave.
Having just got the job, this wasn’t the time for Peter to give an in-depth interview about his future plans.
But in a ten minute chat he outlined a snapshot of his current thoughts.
Along with the moment he came over all Peter Kay.

TIME to get a few things in proportion.
The X Factor is just a television show, not a matter of life or death.
The elemination of Diana Vickers has probably done her a favour in terms of her future career.
So why was Eoghan Quigg blubbing like a baby when she went out?
And how will he cope if he wins next Saturday’s final?
Diana, 17, was still maintaining she and Eoghan, 16, are just very good friends at her last press conference yesterday.
But that’s not how it looked on Saturday night.
Still sobbing, Eoghan ran on stage to embrace the Lancashire student before she had finished her farewell song.

DID you see that coming in Survivors last night?
Government minister Samantha Willis certainly surprised me in the third episode of the BBC1 drama.
As did the the location used by actress Nikki Amuka-Bird and the rest of the TV team to portray the home of Samantha’s small community.
Interviewing Nikki back in September, she told me about filming the scenes at the Earth Centre, near Doncaster.
You can read more about both Nikki and Survivors in yesterday’s MEN interview here.
I have to confess I’d never heard of the Earth Centre.
And, perhaps, I’m not alone…as it failed to attract visitors and closed in 2004.

THE con is back on.
Hustle returns to BBC1 next month for a fifth series.
With Adrian Lester back as Mickey.
Reunited with Robert Vaughn and Robert Glenister (pictured) as Albert and Ash.
Guest stars in the new series include Bill Bailey, Kelly Adams, Matt Di Angelo, Tim McInnerny, Kate Fleetwood, Patrick Bergin and Adam James.
Previous regulars Marc Warren (Danny), Jaime Murray (Stacie) and newcomer Ashley Walters (Billy) have left the series.
But Adrian says it was great to be back on set with the dream team of Vaughn and Glenister.

ITV has now released the first publicity pic of Demons.
The six-part drama stars Philip Glenister as American Rupert Galvin.
It’s due on screen early in the New Year in a weekend schedule which will also include the 2009 series of Dancing On Ice.
I asked Phil if part of the attraction of the role was the fact that, perhaps, his eldest daughter could watch him on screen.
“Well, yeah, I’ll try it out on Millie, maybe.
“I don’t know, because it is quite scary in places.

“PUT the gun down or forever know my wrath…”
Philip Glenister as an American vampire smiter?
How’s that going to work?
It’s always dangerous to judge things from a press screening.
Firstly you’re watching the programme on a much bigger screen with better sound than back at home in your living room.
And then there’s the influence of the venue.
The press screening of the first episode of ITV1’s Demons was in the crypt of this central London church late this afternoon.
Throw in a few candles and it’s just about the perfect spot to set the mood for this new six-part fantastical drama series.

CERTAIN critics have been getting very hot and bothered about Survivors.
A few appear more concerned about making an impact with their readers, rather than giving a balanced opinion on the drama.
Sunday’s opening BBC1 episode got an impressive audience of 6.5 million.
Pretty good when you’re in direct competition with an altogether different bunch of survivors in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!
Episode two is screened at 9pm tonight.
As you can read in today’s MEN TV feature here, it puts a whole new spin on Supermarket Sweep.
And just what is going on in that mysterious secret research facility?