Work Advent Calendar 2018 Day 14: BBC1, Christmas Day 1978

Even discounting the strike that nearly enveloped it, Christmas 1978 was very much after the Lord Mayor's show for BBC1 - Morecambe & Wise were across on the other side and despite getting the Radio Times cover Mike Yarwood couldn't keep up his momentum of the previous year, although in the ratings he only fell behind another offering on the same channel, the TV premiere of The Sound Of Music. That has just finished as we join BBC1 with only a real bottom of the barrel offering to trail in terms of movies. Compared to that previous St Nicholas celebration the animated trails, while not exactly scrimping, feel boxy and less inviting too. Once we've seen what's ahead Peter Woods runs through some standard Christmas Day news before Parkinson At The Pantomime, obviously the kind of special only a journalist is qualified to host. And then OH GOD THAT SANTA FACE.