first of a new series

It was very funny.

But I thought the programme sounded looser than usual. I have a theory that the players are a lot more relaxed without Clement. I think even in just over a year the nature of the game has changed a bit and the panellists are more likely to mess with the rules, and the chairman.

I guess my fear is that without someone like Clement who cares about the game as a game, that the show will get even looser and head towards self-parody. There has to be that element of competition there in my view, or it's just a lot of comedians who can't really get their jokes out, but spend a lot of time laughing at themselves anyway. That would be dire.

Of course it's also quite possible that the show will develop into something different but equally good or better. Every time the regulars have changed - when Peter Jones joined, when Paul replaced Kenneth, when Peter and Derek died - the show has changed. It may be in the process of morphing now and it may end up better than its predecessors.

But I think the show definitely IS and WILL BE different without the great Sir Clement.

On Nicholas, he did get confused in a round - but otherwise he was pretty much on form, and like others I think was on the ball on humour. I think he milked the confusion for its comic potential, just like dear old Peter Jones used to.

I thought it was interesting too that Nicholas turned down a challenge for repetition of the small word "I". I wonder if that complaint he had a few months ago has changed his mind on that issue.

But to make it clear - it was a very funny show.