We start our bumper festive preview by welcoming back Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmser, reunited for two As Time Goes By Specials...

Back in June 2002 at BBC Television Centre, Geoffrey Palmer and Judi Dench said a tearful goodbye to their fellow cast and crew members after recording their last-ever episode of As Time Goes By. Nearly 3 years later, RT was in the audience at Teddington Studios, as the pair recorded 2 more absolutely final episodes of their much-loved sitcom. So how did this miraculous resurrection come about?

It's something we've had in mind for a while," says the show's producer-director Sydney Lotterby. "We threw a party a couple of years ago at which we all got back together and suggested doing a Christmas special, but Judi wasn't free. Then we tried again -- and this time, I'm delighted to say, she was!"

"It was the Americans, really," explains Dench, "They kept on at us, and eventually we gave in and said 'let's do some more'. It's terrible popular over there, you know." As demonstrated by the fact that one entire block of seating in the studio is occupied by a part of fans who have flown across the Atlantic to be here on a cold February night.

Federal Judge John Ditsworth has brought his wife Dee Dee over as a birthday present; they're from Phoenix, Arizona and never miss an episode. Meanwhile, John and Elizabeth Winters, from Charlotte, North Carolina have a very personal reason for enjoying the show: just like Jean and Lionel (the characters played by Dench and Palmer), they're teenage sweetheartgs who not only got married in later life, after having lost their previous parterns. Says Mr. Winters, who's 77: "I've got an old photograph of me as an 18-year-old sailor standing right next to this pretty young 17-year-old nurse who's Elizabeth. That picture of us was taken just after the Second World War -- but we didn't get round to marrying each other until 1998."

It's not just the over-70s to whom the show appeals, however. "I love As Time Goes By, because it makes me happy," says 20-year-old Jenna Martin, from Sydney. "Being at an age where I'm meant to be falling in love, I find it very life affirming to see a couple who are still in love at a much later stage in their life. I guess it gives me hope!"

Although there's no actuall Christmas content in the show, it's naturally gravitated to a feelgood family time in the schedules. And there's certainly no mistaking the surge of affection that greets the entrance of the two stars. "Here we all are again, then," beams Dench. "It's rather like a Frank Sinatra farewell conert, isn't it? We keep coming back and saying goodbye. I suppose all I can say is that if we do ever do it again -- please come again!"

A very big thank you to Phil Watson for sending this article to me and making the scans.