Now that we’re together Nationwide

Well, here’s the good news – we’ll only have to hear the abysmal new theme to The One Show another 249 times.

The series that’s forever going to be referred to as “the new Nationwide” is back, possibly forever, on BBC1. Since that trial run last year, it’s got a new title sequence, a new – horrendous – theme tune and a new location, in a nice though rather echoey studio in London. There’s also no Nadia Sawalha, but hopes that the great Adrian Chiles would be co-ordinating the whole thing himself have been stymied as, at the last minute, Myleene Klass has been promoted from reporter to co-host. I’m not sure why, as she’s about to pop a sprog so she’ll only be on the sofa for a few weeks.

What hasn’t changed, though, is, alas, the same problem as affected the first attempt – basically, what’s the point? Features on the first show included tips on badger watching and a look at the Orkneys – both entertaining enough, but they looked like they’d just fallen out of Springwatch and Coast respectively. An item on second homes did at least have the bonus of a live link and some chat with “property developer” Martin Roberts (who’s got a bit dull since he used to review adventure holidays on The 8.15 From Manchester), but there was no reason for it to be on the programme on that day of any days or for any of it to be live. What we’ve basically got are all the programmes that used to be on at 7pm – the docusoaps, the nature shows, the consumer series – but now in 10 minute chunks.

Alright, so it isn’t Nationwide, and since that venerable series ended, most of what it used to do has now become a part of The Six O’Clock News - it’s no longer the case that the news is just a straight read of the headlines while any analysis or background is officially “current affairs” and the two never met. But that surely doesn’t mean that The One Show can’t be topical and a bit more relevant?

So let’s get Gordon Brown on answering questions from members of the public. Let’s give someone flooded out in Hull a camcorder to make a diary. Let’s find out how much it cost to stage the Tour de France in London. Let’s have Gabby Logan in on Friday to preview the weekend’s sport. Let’s have an alternative look at a big story that the news doesn’t have the time or inclination to cover.

Let’s just have something that would make anyone happily sit through that theme tune.