Janice Troup

I’m a
self-confessed TV addict and proud of it! For me TV can be like reading
a good book. When a drama tells a story deftly, compellingly and the
performances and direction are convincing, there’s no better way to
unwind. I’ve worked in TV PR most of my working career (I trained as a
journalist on the Widnes Weekly News in the late Seventies and
Eighties) and truly believe you have to immerse yourself in TV across
all channels to do your job properly.

That’s my excuse anyway! Not surprisingly, I love the wittiness of Ally Ross who writes the Sun ‘s TV column every Thursday.

The headline “Hanks for the memories” as Paul Burrell left the celebrity jungle made me chuckle.

Likewise
last week’s “McCririck is pick of the bunch… by a nose” had me in
fits. I also never miss Sue Carroll in the Mirror every Wednesday or
Carol Malone in the Sunday Mirror . Both aren’t afraid to say what they
feel and never shy away from controversial issues. I loved Sue’s
mention for Coronation Street ‘s Bill Ward, who’s working exceptionally
hard with fellow actor Sally Lindsey to portray a manipulative and
cruel bully. “Death by a thousand paper cuts” was how Barbara Ellen in
the Observer ‘s OM magazine referred to the storyline towards the end
of last year.

Somehow that phrase really captures the slow burn
of Charlie’s tortuous, unpredictable behaviour towards Shelley. Moving
away from TV, but to a soap opera of another kind, what was Harry
thinking of dressing in Nazi costume for a fancy dress party? I don’t
blame his PR advisors for one moment. If they’d known in advance what
he intended to wear they’d have certainly advised him properly. But how
can they be responsible for what he chooses to wear for a social
occasion on a Saturday night?

Janice Troup is head of ITV programme publicity