Benidorm

For sheer flamboyance, there's no beating tubby hairdresser Kenneth (Tony Maudsley), who flounced into the sea as Benidorm (ITV) returned.

He was trying to swim back to the Solana hotel, from an island off the Costa Blanca coast, but only his necklace was washed ashore. Of the rest, nothing was found, not even his silver posing briefs. If he doesn't turn up, it's a clever way to write his character out of the show -- with the possibility of a comeback one day.

Nigel Havers. as the smarmy dentist taking over Kenneth's salon, is smoothly amusing, and the wonderful Janine Duvitski as elderly swinger Jacqueline is back.

But most of the best-loved Benidorm regulars have long since departed, and the show has a decrepit air, like a cheap hotel at the tail-end of the season.

Full marks, though, to a hilarious cameo from Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley, sending himself up as a shameless narcissist churning out the band's hits at a wedding. That was pure Gold.

The ITV institution is celebrating its 10th series in true Costa Del Sun style: that means sunburned bum cracks by the Hotel Solano pool, all-inclusive innuendo and (later in the series) evening entertainment provided by the Chuckle Brothers. In this episode, the big day arrives for hotel manager Joyce (Corrie veteran Sherrie Hewson) and Monty (John Challis from Only Fools and Horses), but will they make it to "I do"? Less a TV show, more a sunny retirement community for the light-entertainment stars of yesteryear.

Benidorm, ITV, review

Tony Hadley brings his comedy gold.