Pete Waterman

It crammed in so many songs, they were never all going to be funny whilst the second hour-long results show confirmed what a seriously indulgent exercise it all was.

It's one thing getting Pete Waterman, Nikki Chapman and Neil Fox to send themselves up but having a parody of The Pop Factor without a Simon Cowell figure was a major cop out by Kay.

Having said that, Marc Pickering's performance as Leon, I mean, R Wayne, was brilliant - particularly his version of Ebony and Ivory with his ventriloquist's dummy of Stevie Wonder. The cameos by Rick Astley, the Cheeky Girls, and Macca doing the themes from Blankety Blank and Home and Away were better than most of Extras.

The one moment of comedy genius was Michelle McMammoth look-a-like cum-transsexual Geraldine's medley merging seamlessly from Born To Run to Born Free to Free Nelson Mandela and Umbrella.

This is Peter Kay's first major new work on TV for four years in which he spoofs - you guessed it - reality talent shows with characteristic accuracy and affection. Cat Deeley presents a 'live final' of an X-Factor-style extravaganza and it's down to three finalists - R Wayne, foursome 2 Up 2 Down, and Geraldine, played by Kay himself. The judges are Neil Fox, Nicki Chapman and Pete Waterman, and the results follow straight after a documentary about his record-breaking 2002 stand-up tour. If you are doing something else on Sunday night, you probably shouldn't be.

Peter Kay's first new TV comedy work for four years has been heavily trailed by Channel 4, and who can blame them? I still think Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere was a brutal misfire for the popular (and undeniably brilliant) comic actor, but hopefully this will bring him back to comedy greatness. The explosion of reality talent shows might be an easy target for satire, but Kay, steeped in popular TV culture, should be able to get something from the show. Kay is Geraldine, a finalist on a talent show, hosted by Cat Deeley and judged by Pete Waterman, Nicki Chapman and Neil Fox. But is Geraldine keeping a deep, dark secret, and will 'she' win out in the end?

Strictly come spoofing

Since Peter Kay became one of the hottest talents on television, through Phoenix Nights and standup, there has been understandable excitement about where he might go next on TV. It turns out that he has chosen to go for TV: the tongue-busting title of his new Channel 4 show, broadcast this Sunday, is Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Strictly on Ice - a highly evolved satire on reality TV.

Using genuine personnel from wannabe programmes (presenter Cat Deeley, judges Nicki Chapman and Pete Waterman), Kay has devised a competition between fictional contestants, including Kay himself in drag as big-hearted chanteuse Geraldine. For extra realism, the send-ups will be broadcast in two parts on the same night: an early evening heat and a late-night results show.