BBC One Christmas 2018

The only other sitcom I can think of, where an episode went out live, was Mrs Browns Boys a couple of years ago.

Two Pints did it too, way back when.

No Winners Weekend branding this year culminating with the weekend of the Strictly Final, Apprentice Final and Sports Personality of the Year.

They've been doing that the last couple of years. Not sure why they haven't bothered this year.

Did it attract really any more viewers? Also after a couple of years they probably felt it was not worth bothering.

American TV sitcom Undateable went out live on NBC for an entire season in 2015/16. Before that Roc was aired in 1992 again as a season of live episodes (before returning to the traditional format of recording for the following season and then being cancelled altogether). Some other shows (not all sitcoms) had a splattering of occasional live episodes but I dare say you'd have to look back into the depths of TV history to find other examples.

30 Rock did TWO live episodes one for the east coast and the other for the West coast.

I was thinking - I think they should've added a sparkle effect to the BBC One logo at Christmas like they did in the Red Box days. That would make it look a little more Christmassy.

Isn’t there a snow effect coming off the logo this year?

I think that’s dandruff.

Think that's common when US scripted shows do a live episode.

There is - but the effect doesn't continue throughout. It needs some sparkle or something to take away from dullness.

Something similar to what they did in 2014 with the logo:

I see what you mean. You’ve inadvertently reminded me of what a wonderful, Christmassy, magical set of idents those were.