CKTV review of 2003 (From Warrington Guardian)

CKTV review of 2003

The year started well as Cilla announced she was quitting Blind Date and it became clear that Maxine was to be dispatched by Richard Hillman in Corrie.

The aliens landed in Steven Spielberg's UFO serial Taken (BBC2), which began poorly but soon attained cult viewing status. Interestingly, at the same time Leslie Ash unveiled her 'trout pout' look in Mersey Beat (BBC1).

In more down to earth fashion, yet another Heartbeat style series was foist upon Sunday night viewers in the shape of The Royal.

Geordie Kate arrived in EastEnders, unaware that by the end of the year she would have quit the force to run a Walford nail bar.

Gay crimper Ricardo brightened up the dire reality show The Salon (Channel 4), while Duffy hung up her thermometer in Casualty.

The Messiah turned out to be a Manchester City fan working in a video shop in The Second Coming (ITV1), and Mark Fowler rode out of EastEnders on his motorbike after being told he was living on borrowed time - the tactic seems to have worked as, unless we have not been told the sad news, he is still alive.

The year's saddest reality show, Surprise Wedding, gave participants the opportunity to marry their partners live on TV and RI:SE presenter Mark Durden-Smith the chance to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire!

At the other end of the scale, the second series of the magnificent 24 burst on to the screen, with Jack facing a day in which he was to die, survive a nuclear explosion and avert World War III. He did avoid the trauma of watching Davina 'Megaphone' McCall hosting The Brit Awards.

Little Joshua Peacock was confirmed as Dr Matt's son in Corrie but was condemned to being brought up by Orville the Duck and Foghorn Leghorn (Ashley and Fred).

Comic Relief Does Fame Academy brought us the never-to-be-forgotten (unfortunately) sight of Ruby Wax and Jo Brand as The Cheeky Girls and the performing 'paramedic' Kwame, who became a casualty to over-confidence.

The second series of I'm A Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here will be remembered for John Fashanu's 'focus' mantra and the start of the Linda Barker Phenomenon (bit part interior designer mutates into annoying advertisement diva).

Britain's answer to Cagney and Lacey took a bow in the new series M.I.T. but Lindsey Coulson and Samantha Spiro weren't a patch on Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless!

John Simm and David Morrissey, however, were excellent in State of Play (BBC1), one of the highlights of 2003. The drama also featured the rising star that is Bill Nighy, who was bidding for a Christmas hit single by the time December arrived.

Alas, the BBC was also responsible for the saga of de-frocked clergyman and demon chaser John Strange, while over in the Big Brother house Jon Tickle was proving even stranger!

Cameron won Big Brother, and we were straight into Fame Academy 2, where Cat Deeley was a waste of space and Robin Gibb showed as much personality as a wet haddock.

Finally, the fat lady sang and won Pop Idol 2003. It was that kind of year!