Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice

Haven't seen very much of Peter Kay's past work (love his John Smith ads!), but anything or anyone taking a pot-shot at the UK's current depressing and seemingly never-ending fascination for reality TV's pop-idol making machine will get my attention and if done well, vote. Trouble here is that in this apparently updated for Christmas special, I'm not sure if Kay loves or loathes his target subject and for me he really has to make up his mind. If anything, in fact, I suspect the former, as we get endless numbers of him in wardrobe-busting frocks "dragging"-out one big production-number after another ad-nauseum. The joke works at first as he hilariously takes on songs no diva should touch (a point ironically driven home by subsequent events with 2008 X-Factor winner Alexandra's Burke's desecration of Leonard Cohen's anthemic "Jerusalem" - talk about life imitating art!) but this soon grates although it may of course be his own post-ironical statement on the tedious stretching out of all the Pop-Idol/X Factor/Britain's Got talent shows over endless weeks - I'm kidding of course, I don't think Kay's that clever! It's not escaped my notice either that the "Winner's Song" Kay trills here has been released to the general public (and naturally is high on the Xmas charts as I write). Kay would like us to think he's accurately lambasting the whole, to my way of thinking, odious bigging up of pub-standard karaoke wannabe singers to mega-stardom (Leona Lewis anyone?), but despite occasionally hitting home with necessarily tasteless and therefore slightly shocking moments with performances by a dwarf boy-band or part-disabled boy/girl band (the joke's all in their name - "2 Up 2 Down") and getting some major celebrity help (from Sir Paul McCartney no less), you know that the hand that feeds isn't going to get bitten too hard here. McCartney gets well rewarded for his time, with no fewer than three of his career-worst songs getting dusted off en-route ("Ebony and Ivory", "The Frog Chorus" and "Wonderful Christmastime"...more post-ironic satire perhaps but I fear again that both Kay and Macca think these are all wonderful tunes ripe for re-discovery, even with a laugh and a joke!). Of course I've never watched any of the original source reality shows but you just try to avoid them on your TV, on-line browser or daily newsstand once they get into their swing... I didn't laugh enough here to make me overlook that I'd effectively been conned into watching a too close-for-comfort and far too reverential tibute to reality TV.

Well, if there were every any proof needed that the reason Phoenix Nights was funny was because of Dave Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice it was last nights horrendously unfunny broadcast for the bewildered. Channel 4 rolls in Peter Kay to state the obvious and show us that far from being able to muster up comedy on the fly, like say Ricky Gervais or Jimmy Carr, He spends years making something fit for the bargain bins at blockbusters along with all the live dvds of his repeated performances.

All in all proof of a man who managed to get together a decent set of gags and perform one good show....and take the credit for his obviously more talented writing team.

I was looking forward to this as I am a huge fan of Peter Kay. But this prog was just a bit too 'normal' when considering the sort of people you get on the 'real' pop factor sort of programmes.

It was very well observed, but there was too much singing for my liking (one of the main reasons I don't watch these programmes on a Saturday night), and the simple fact is that the parodies of the people who go on these programmes just seemed too real... even the most extreme parodies were just like the people you see on the genuine programmes.

And by the time I had heard Cat Deeley say "Britain's Got the Pop Factor ... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice" for the 30th time I was getting a bit bored.

A good effort, but considering the freakish nature of the contestants on the genuine programme that are constantly on Saturday night TV, it just seemed like another 'talent' show as opposed to a highly anticipated spoof. Shame.

Don't get me wrong I'm a huge Peter Kay fan some of his shows like Phoneix Nights, Max and Paddy have kept me laughing even on repeat showings but this show was just too close to the X Factor for comfort. So close that at times an average viewer may not have realised it was a spoof.

There was just a huge shortage of jokes, one or two big laughs and the odd titter do not make a comedy show.

Also you must remember that just because you have a rosta of celebrity guest stars it doesn't mean that guarantee's you a hit show, I was actually quite surprised to see an artist of Sir Paul McCartney in a show like this.

My advice Mr Kay, next time please try harder......

I've got this friend who loves katie melua , if katie melua decided to be sick in a bag and release it as an "exclusive gift" my friend would say it was wonderful, I, however would not. Peter Kay is a genius I love him in phoenix nights , max and Paddy , dvds , that Peter Kay thing and even the adverts he was in however , this wasn't so good. I thought his character was great and the idea was great but we all know the clichés of talent shows from years of having to watch them. Many a time weve be told that 4 billion people have phoned in but there's just 6 votes between them or "its just to close to call" in order for you to keep calling in. Over many years weve come to realise that a sob story gets you on and when the so called talents say "but I don't want it to alter your decision" you end up shouting at the TV "dont bloody mention it then". The only bit I really laughed at is when the lady in the wheelchair said "weve invested all our money in black cocks". Still more laughs than anything on TV at the moment especially, little Britain USA (dont get me started). Thanks Peter I imagine loads of hard work and time went into it but it wasn't up to your usual standard, sorry , all the best.