THE first day of 2007 may already have seen the highest rated TV show of the year.
Dawn French’s farewell as The Vicar of Dibley last night attracted a massive 12.3 million viewers.
That’s just 200,000 less than the highest rated non-sporting programme of 2006 – an episode of Coronation Street last March.
The New Year’s Day finale saw Geraldine Granger married in her pyjamas and leopard print slippers.
She survived Owen’s explosive devices and the Dalek bridesmaids to wed accountant Harry.
Viewers saw her walking on air at the end of the episode, to the sound of Fill My Little World by The Feeling.
Then it was “Goodbye and God Bless” from the classic comedy, with some behind the scenes footage and Alice finally getting one of Geraldine’s post-titles jokes.

My name is Ian Wylie and until October 2009 I was the London Editor & TV Editor of the Manchester Evening News.

Now I am a freelance journalist and TV writer.

The original version of this blog was on the MEN site.

Click here for more info.

IT always makes me smile when people say there is nothing to watch on TV.
Even if you don’t have hundreds of channels to choose from, we’ve enjoyed some classic telly in 2006 – and I’ve been lucky enough to interview many of those involved.
In no particular order, here are a few of my favourite things from the last 12 months.
Click on each title for more:

GET the mince pie, glass of sherry and carrots ready. Someone is on his way.
There’s a special festive link if you continue reading the full story.

THE BBC is facing “very difficult choices” after a Treasury briefing revealed details of the proposed licence fee settlement.
It confirmed months of speculation – mainly fuelled by government leaks – that the BBC is to get a below inflation rise.
The reported deal isn’t as bad for the BBC as some experts had feared but it’s still bad news for director general Mark Thompson.
Although it won’t be finalised and formally announced until the New Year, the settlement agreed within government means the BBC will not have anything like the cash it said it needed for its future plans.

THE Vicar of Dibley ends up hitched to Guy of Gisborne in the final two episodes of a comedy classic.
Dawn French says goodbye to Geraldine Granger when the Vicar meets Harry, a charming village newcomer played by Robin Hood star Richard Armitage.
You may also remember Richard as brooding Manchester mill owner Richard Thornton in BBC1’s 2004 adaptation of North and South.
The village of Turville on the Buckinghamshire / Oxfordshire border doubles for Dibley.
As discussed in a previous blog, Turville has a long track record when it comes to hosting TV and film productions.
Although it’s usually kept out of shot, the local pub is just a few yards away from the cottages used to portray the exterior of Geraldine’s home.

ITV bosses took their eye off the ball when they demoted former golden girl Gabby Logan before last summer’s World Cup.
In as main football presenter came Steve Rider, a surprise appointment given the fact he was not part of the Match of the Day team during his many years with the BBC.
Out went Gabby, shamefully treated by ITV Sport. She was also replaced by Steve as the face of the channel’s Champions’ League coverage.
Now comes confirmation that after eight years at ITV, Gabby is moving to BBC Sport in the New Year.

THE news came in from the House of Commons just after 5pm yesterday.
First there was confirmation that a government decision on the BBC’s next licence fee settlement had been delayed until the New Year.
No surprise there. But what happened next caught just about everyone out.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell – speaking in a debate about the digital TV switchover – unexpectedly turned her attention to the BBC’s move to Salford.
In what may turn out to be the decisive moment for the future of the £400m project, she appeared to back the BBC into a corner.

THE shocking murders of five women in Ipswich have sparked memories of the reign of terror of serial killer Peter Sutcliffe.
Known as the Yorkshire Ripper, lorry driver Sutcliffe was sentenced to life in May 1981 on 13 counts of murder and seven counts of attempted murder between 1975 and 1980.
The trial at the Old Bailey in London was my first experience of the historic Court No 1.
Although a junior member of the MEN reporting team covering the case, it was still a baptism of fire.
And sitting just a few feet from the dock, I soon came face to face with Sutcliffe as he turned at a lunch adjournment at glared at the press benches.
Not a face you would ever forget.

THE mad dash towards the end of the year continues.
ITV held launches today for a second outing in 2007 of Manchester drama Cold Blood, plus the return of Trial and Retribution.
Meanwhile BBC2 revealed highlights of its winter / spring season of programmes – including The Verdict and new films from Louis Theroux.
The former sees a jury of famous faces sitting in judgement on a four day trial, presided over by a real judge in a real courtroom with real barristers.
Ex-Nottingham Forest and Liverpool player Stan Collymore will be one of the 12 jurors, along with disgraced former MP Jeffrey Archer, who served two years in prison for perjury, and actresses Patsy Palmer, Honor Blackman and Jennifer Ellison.