A new year bristling with fun ideas. As for the seasonal television, that was as much fun as expected. From a glorious ‘Doctor Who’ on Christmas Day to the return of ‘Sherlock’ on New Year’s Day, the BBC prove themselves still expert at new drama. Mind you, ‘Downtown Abbey’ on Christmas Day over on ITV finally sucked Robert into the heightened history of Julian Fellowes, while the new ‘Poirot’ film, ‘The Clocks’, showcased David Suchet’s definitive performance once more. It also saw Anna Massey’s last screen work. A fitting and powerful farewell. Great to have the old guard Bruce Forsyth doing his thing on telly and Bernard Cribbins reading some poignant stories on radio. Mind you, it still didn’t feel like Christmas until Eric ‘n’ Ern could be enjoyed with the nation on Christmas Eve. Lovely and fitting that the boys are now as much a part of Christmas as turkey and Tiny Tim. The sad news also came through that cartoonist, wit and gentleman, Ronald Searle, had died on 30th December at the ripe old age of 91. He was best known for his barbed digs at education in both Molesworth and the girls of St. Trinian’s. One of the great Englishmen.