Miranda Hart

So, Miranda's over, and leaves us in a fine tradition - Fawlty Towers, The Office - of going on just long enough and no longer, and creating a newly Hollywood-bound personality. Some fusspot critics adopted airs of frenetic postmodern sophistication towards what was, after all, a comedy show. I loved it, every bit, not least for allowing me to finally "get" - albeit only a bit - slapstick. I especially loved it for every reason the detractors resented: its retro nature, its channelling of Eric Morecambe (she even managed, along with his trademark deadpans to camera, to slap Stevie's cheeks) and its big, warm, sexy lunk of a star.

It ended rightly on a high (she married Gary, needless to say) and included bits of girly fun (meh), sharp observation (yay!) and, actually, a twitch more seriousness than has been usual. "That is not being a child," she says at one stage, grown strangely grave. "Sometime the world just needs to be... jollied." Indeed it does, and I raise my glass to Miranda Hart, producer Sarah Fraser, director Mandie Fletcher and all the other splendid women involved: 2015 deserves to be their brilliant year.

Miranda's pratfalls have been done with panache

Miranda Hart's sitcom will receive a mixed farewell when it ends for good on New Year's Day, but I salute its originality and scholastic fascination with comedic conventions.

8 life lessons we've learned from Miranda

She might fall down a lot and find herself in many an awkward situation, but there's a lot to be learned from Miranda Hart's comedy alter ego.

Miranda: 'all the humour and joy we could have wanted'

Aw, such (terrific) fun. As the curtain fell for the last time, our lovably galumphing comedy heroine Miranda (Miranda Hart) really did get the fairytale ending that she - and we the audience - always wanted. Making for not only a triumph but a very welcome surprise.

Miranda Hart will take a year off

The star, who bows out on New Year's Day with a BBC One special called The Final Curtain, reckons a break between jobs keeps her fresh.

Early Miranda Hart comedy discovered

Early film of a live performance of a sitcom pilot starring Miranda Hart has resurfaced on YouTube.

Miranda Hart shed real tears as she filmed last episode

The comedienne couldn't help but sob at the live recording for her Christmas episodes.

Miranda Hart on saying goodbye to her sitcom

As the comedian prepares to put her clumsy character to bed, she bids a fond farewell to the Miranda family.

Radio Times review

Fans may have sobbed into a scatter cushion and played I Will Survive when they heard that Miranda Hart was calling time on her big, brash, laugh-out-loud sitcom. But now they can cheer up and put on an embarrassing sweater for the first of two farewell specials. A primetime Christmas Day slot is only right and proper - the series-three opener was one of the most watched shows of Christmas 2012.

Previously in Miranda's life, she'd received marriage proposals from both chef Gary and TV reporter Mike. What's a gauche, galumphing girl to do? (Rude!) Well, don't expect all loose ends to be tied here, with the very last episode still to come.

Miranda: everything you need to know about the finale

Miranda Hart is saying goodbye to her goofy TV namesake, but who will Miranda end up with? Gary or, er, herself?