For One Night Only? No, you can come back for more

Regular readers will know of my despair at the lack of variety shows on British television.

ITV has tried to even the balance with its For One Night Only which began last Sunday. The show featured Westlife, Pussycat Dolls, Snake Man (a contortionist), a comedian I had never heard of and was so unfunny I hope I never hear about him again and the cast of Jersey Boys. So far so good (apart from the comedian).

The only slight problem was with the hosts - I am not sure a two-hander works and the so-called big finale with Joan Rivers definitely did not work. It was also a tad unfortunate that Dave repeated a Joan Rivers Live at the Apollo last week in which she told the same jokes as Sunday's "live" show which thanks to her swearing we know wasn't live. I also don't quite understand ITV's obsession with Vernon Kay - nice lad but is he really the best ITV can find at the moment? Still, I suppose Ant and Dec can't present every show.

Next week the hosts are Denise Van Outen and a man whose name I have forgotten already. Oh and one more - stop telling us what a great line-up you have every ten minutes and cut the canned screaming. It's beyond irritating.