ENTERTAINMENT

There was disappointment for anyone who tuned into The Great Christmas Bake Off hoping to see a jolly fat man with a white beard dragging a bulging sack behind him. I assume Paul Hollywood banked his Channel 4 loot months ago.

Santa was nowhere to be seen, either, but there were carol singers and the four ghosts of Bake Off past did create some amazing Christmas treats.

Paul and his new pals Prue, Noel and Sandi probably overdid the peace and goodwill to all bit. We get it, guys. You lot are the best of friends. Now, please stop cuddling.

Strictly Come Dancing’s festive special had an appearance from The Duchess Of Cornwall at a charity tea party in Buckingham Palace. Sadly, all FESTIVE FOUR Pals Paul, Prue, Noel and Sandi

that did was make me a little upset that Bruce Forsyth wasn’t on hand to make an obvious joke about Camilla’s cha-cha-char lady.

Elsewhere, festive fun was provided by Mrs Brown’s Boys, which gave us yet another wonderful piece of Christmas tree-based slapstick. On Channel 4, Alan Carr invited Oasis Grinch Noel Gallagher to his Chatty Man special. Noel whinged about all things Christmas and revealed he hates that his parents named him after the season.

Cheer up Noel. Could have been worse. Imagine if they’d named you after Noel Edmonds.

Back on BBC1, if you stayed up late, 300 Years Of French And Saunders confirmed Dawn and Jennifer as the finest female comedy double act this country has ever produced.

Although, if Theresa May ever makes Andrea Leadsom Deputy PM that could change.