THERE’S light at the end of the tunnel for viewers turned off by the glut of New Year reality TV.
Tonight at 8.30pm sees the first clash of all three reality shows, with BBC1’s Just The Two Of Us up against Channel 4’s Celebrity Big Brother and the launch of ITV1’s Manchester-based Soapstar Superstar.
Good news for fans of reality telly armed with recording machines. Not so good for everyone else.
But no need to despair. There’s a wide range of new series waiting in the wings – many of which will feature on the TV feature pages of the MEN.
One of the first is Shameless, which returns for a long awaited fourth series on Channel 4 at 10pm next Tuesday.
DAY one in the Celebrity Big Brother house and they’ve already been in to the diary room to ask for headache tablets.
At least it’s the first full day for the celebs in their new world just off Borehamwood High Street.
Jermaine Jackson is ticking off the hours until he can escape, asking this morning: “Did yesterday count as one of the days?”
It will be 25 days in total for those who survive to the end. And that’s a lot of headache pills.
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.
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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:
CORONATION Street’s gobby Janice Battersby has endured more than a few screen insults about her appearance.
But just look at her now – or rather actress Vicky Entwistle, who plays the Underworld knicker stitcher.
You can read more about Vicky’s dramatic new appearance in today’s MEN and how she escaped being axed from the soap.
I spoke to Vicky just before Christmas, when she was rehearsing for her role in panto.
We also discussed Janice’s romantic New Year’s Day surprise – Roger the plumber.
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.
Life of Wylie 