GET THE TUNES ON (BBC 1) ★★★✩✩
QUEEN OF THE NEW YEAR (BBC 1) ★★★✩✩
HOGMANAY 2023 (BBC 1) ★★✩✩✩
BRINGING IN THE BELLS (STV) ★✩✩✩✩
As a nation, Scots take great pride in Hogmanay traditions – first footing; hiking taxi fares to levels that could easily plug the country’s £1.5billion budget shortfall; arguing over whether the steak pie should have links in it or not.
To which can be added the more recent staple of giving Hogmanay TV an absolute shellacking on social media.
Little wonder. In recent years, the Battle of the Bells between the BBC and STV has been nothing short of chronic.
Though to be fair, even I thought the Twitter user who complained that Auntie’s coverage of the Edinburgh Fireworks wasn’t as good as previous years because ‘there was too much smoke’, was taking things to extremes.
Especially, as the BBC’s schedules actually showed promising signs of the green shoots of recovery this time around, with Get The Tunes On the perfect way to get the party started.
Here, Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus, aided and abetted by a selection of talking heads served up a smorgasbord of top tracks from Caledonia to create the perfect playlist for a Hogmanany hoolie.
Elizabeth Caproni as Nicola Sturgeon having a party for one in her campervan
Edith Bowman at the helm for the Beeb’s pre-recorded festivities of chat and music for Hogmanay 2023
These ranged from dance floor fillers (Calvin Harris), and a clip of the Still Game gang doing Scotland’s national dance, the Slosh, to Rabbie Burns’ international anthem Auld Lang Syne.
Trying to shoehorn The Singing Kettle’s version of Ye Cannae Shove Yer Granny Aff A Bus in to keep the children entertained was perhaps a stretch too far.
And having a music academic on also seemed a bit redundant, especially seeing as rock and pop emeritus Billy Sloan was already at hand. Fun show though.
Which let’s face it, isn’t a description normally levelled at Greg Hemphill and Robert Florence’s sketch show Queen of the New Year now given its third outing here in the top comedy slot. Beyond fortunate to get another crack at the whip after last year’s laughter free zone, the show actually turned out to be not too bad at all.
Highlights included a pop at Baroness Bra Michelle Mone in her robes as bad Santa stealing Christmas presents; and a running gag about Banksy paying his bills in Glasgow with a flick of his aerosol can. (The celeb unmasking of Banksy at the end was also a neat touch).
Elsewhere, a Just Stop Oil-cum-Orange Walk skit, and a Celtic fan lambasting David Cameron’s return to government office while welcoming Brendan Rodgers’ return to Parkhead wouldn’t have looked out of place on Scotch & Wry or Only an Excuse.
Best of the lot though was former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, hiding out in a motorhome and having a party to herself dressed in a Scotland tracksuit.
As for the Hogmanay countdown proper, Edith Bowman was at the helm for the Beeb’s pre-recorded festivities of chat and music, Hogmanay 2023. Featuring tunes from Celtic folk rockers Skerryvore and Hogmanay stalwart KT Tunstall, the show at least managed to feature some big names including Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, Succession star Brian Cox and Scotland’s own Barbie star Sharon Ronney.
It’s a bland formula. But one that the BBC seems intent on sticking with. But then it’s not up against much as STV seems to have thrown in the towel in the Battle of The Bells.
The Gogglebox-style format of having some well kent faces chewing the fat over some of the year’s events in Bringing In The Bells that the channel has favoured over the last few years has been less than inspiring.
But this year’s offering, which featured among others Taggart duo Alex Norton and Blythe Duff, was its worst yet. Might as well call it celebs with nothing to say talking drivel.
If Grado failing to understand the Barbie movie is your idea of Hogmanay entertainment fair enough. But it isn’t mine.
In fact the most entertaining thing about the show is checking out the fireplace decorations.
It’s time STV ditched the format for good.