Sending Jonah to talk about big fish

For the first time in months (perhaps a year) we sat down together last night and watched a couple of hours of telly live. (Admittedly after a recorded episode of Property Ladder from a month or so ago!)

So there was the joy of Nolan Live - which had some highs balancing out a few lows. But I was glad that they covered Omagh, even though it was the Christmas special. Brought back memories of Gerry Kelly's Friday night show on UTV that ran for years, and managed to switch between local and national, whimsical and deadly serious every week.

The most unexpected moment of the night was during the second item in the Ten o'Clock News. A story about Japanese whaling with at-the-scene reporter Jonah Fisher. It's playground humour, but I can't help smirking at this particular assignment!

The intended comedy arrived with Folks on the Hill - whose animation is incredible considering that its a one-man production on software/kit that would fit under your desk.

Despite his high price tag, I'd never watched more than five minutes of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross before last night. It was surprisingly good: a lot less puerile and needlessly smutty than Graham Norton. And there's a quick fire wit and rapid bantering that Ross achieves with carefully chosen guests that few other talk show hosts (including Nolan) can manage. It's a skill, and he has it. But I'm not sure it'll entice me to sit up that late to watch the new series when it starts in January.

And since this is a TV-related post, watch out for the repeat of Liverpool Nativity over on BBC One on Sunday night - 11pm in Northern Ireland, 10.45pm in other UK regions.