Did we like it?

The show was enjoyable but we were left with the feeling that maybe 2005 hadn’t really been a good 12 months for TV – the clips paraded here revealed it to be a year of ephemeral mediocrity.

What was good about it?

• Jonathan Ross, as ever. Jokes included a jibe at the young soap starlets in the audience. “I saw you arriving in your winter coats. I’m guessing two coats of Ronseal, one of varnish.”; “Like Darren Day’s face, records are there to be broken.”; As they say ‘When in Rome, take off your clothes and overact’.”; “Graham Norton – not only did he present Strictly Dance Fever, he was easily the butchest thing on it.”

• The funky presentation of the clips with fast cuts juxtaposing Jordan’s flat singing with Jeremy Paxman’s flat weather forecasting etc

• The way the London bombings were dealt with. A selection of harrowing clips was followed by an appearance of survivor Gill Hicks as an award presenter with Denis Lawson. After the standing ovation calmed down, Jonathan told Denis: “As much as Bleak House was popular, that wasn’t for you.”

• The award presenters didn’t overplay their roles

• Jamie Murray’s cleavage

What was bad about it?

• Surely Pink Floyd at Live 8 was TV’s Golden Moment of 2005 rather than one of the less interesting bits from Doctor Who?

• Many of the winners didn’t show up. Martin Clunes, Catherine Tate and Christopher Eccleston were among the big names who decided they’d rather not spend a night with That Girl From Emmerdale and That Bloke Who Used To Be…