Analysis: BBC wins, thanks to London input

Published on Monday 22 November 2010 17:29

You could have cut the excitement with an earthworm when BBC Scotland and STV announced their festive schedules. An air of "will this do?" permeated STV's offerings in particular: a Postcode Challenge Hogmanay Special with guests Craig Hill, Andy Cameron and Hi-De-Hi's Ruth Madoc? Oh please, you spoil us.

BBC Scotland would have easily trumped their rivals even if all they had planned was a freeze-frame of John Barrowman dressed as Santa sobbing in a stairwell. Instead, they've given us Christmas Celebration, in which Sally Magnusson presents a performance by RSAMD students at Glasgow's St Aloysius Church, and Proms in the Park featuring this year's concert from Dundee's Caird Hall. All very lovely, I'm sure. By contrast, they've also promised a special festive episode of River City, which is about as enticing as finding asbestos in your Christmas stocking. If you're underwhelmed by Scotland's offerings, rest assured that the BBC will provide its usual array of quality including the Doctor Who Christmas Special, with guests Michael Gambon and Katherine Jenkins, a drama about the early years of Morecambe and Wise, a new adaptation of MR James' classic ghost story, Whistle and I'll Come to You and a revival of Upstairs Downstairs which may rival ITV's Downton Abbey. As ever, the Beeb wins Christmas by a country mile.