THIS NEXT ONE'S VERY FUNNY, LET ME ASSURE YOU

Do the TV continuity announcers think they're contributing to the comedy programmes with their announcements? You know the ones I mean - "Coming up now, heh-heh-heh, I'm laughing already... it's the new series of My Family's Office."

Or they painfully do the catchphrase... "Hilarity for the next 30 minutes here, and I will watch this with both eyes open."

This is, I think, unique to television. When you go to the cinema and the certificate from the board of censors comes up before the film starts, they've not put there "Certificate 12, and may the Force be with... YOU!" Book publishers don't add a little "Hah-hah-hah, chapter ten's got a twist you won't see coming" on the title page. But the continuity announcers seem to think that their "I watch this, too" delivery can add something to the viewing experience.

Just run the show already. If you want to make "helpful" observations about what's about to happen, the announcer job you are looking for is at the train station, I think you'll find.