The Crystal Maze returns to C4

It's not that he won't talk about it, it's not like when you talk to James Bolam about Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (apparently if you go to interview Bolan for a project he's worked on you get warned not to bring Likely Lads up). It's just not a preferred topic for Tudor-Pole and he will probably change the subject fairly quickly.

And anyway he may want to be known as a musician but he has also had a career as an actor. In a load of b-rated stuff, admittedly, but an actor nevertheless. Plus he was in the music video for Vindaloo as well.

Josh Robert Thompson apparently behaves in a similar manner whenever anybody asks him about Geoff Peterson from The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (he voiced and operated him, for those who don't know... he's also the guy from the More Than Freeman adverts). He's allegedly said nobody will hire him as an actor because all anybody wants to ask him about is Geoff and Craig.

I can understand the frustration of people in this position, but at the same time, I don't know why you'd want to be hostile towards people who like you and what you've done, regardless of when you did it.

What? Does this relate to anything TV or did you think that was funny to post here?

Considering the discussion was about Ed Tudor Pole's apparent hostility towards the Crystal Maze, I think Jon's post was more than justified.

Well, it does tie in to Ed apparently not liking to talk about the show any more.

I did write to him and Richard in the early 00's for autographs and whilst Richard did send me one, Ed sent me a personalised signed glossy with glued on speech bubbles with jokes and comments relevant to things I had mentioned in my letter to him and things relevant to his rather nice letter that he sent with the photo. It was 5 pages long and he talked about his life but also how he is disappointed that he doesn't get repeat fees for the show being on endlessly on satellite, even his wife wrote a little bit on the end as well if I recall.

Ed appeared on the Gadget Show to do a spoof of TCM a few years ago, so he does like to talk about it in some form, but I think he may get annoyed if people think its the only thing he's done and don't know/acknowledge his music career.

Don't think I've ever wanted the weekend to end so much.

Have you managed to book tickets for Manchester?

Interestingly the Sky+ app is offering Series Link for tonight's one off

Probably links the SU2C programmes together

I think the best thing about this is how it's gone from first reported rumour to air in less than 7 weeks. We'd already been waiting 21 years so getting it to air quickly, which the pre-existing experience set enabled, and the news not leaking until it was pretty much confirmed means that although it has certainly been hyped, it's not been overly hyped - and the initial excitement around the announcement is still very much there.

I'm fully expecting it not to be perfect (from the clip shown on Sunday Brunch the on-air clock is far too big for starters) but really do think the foudations will be tthere for a proper revival. We know any such revival will likely be in a new set, so if that's an issue tonight it won't be moving forward - and similarly with the host too. The charity angle means Stephen Merchant can be pushed as a one-off host for a one-off revival, so if he is crap they can ditch him without anyone losing face. Of course he says he's far too busy to do a full series but I suspect he'd quite like a role of his own on British television where is isn't in the shadow of Gervais.

Well they haven't made a dogs dinner of it after all.

Really good to see the nod to Richard O'Brien at the beginning. Shame we only seem to get 2 games per zone by the look of things.