Season of mists and new series of GBBO, The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing...

Never mind the drop in temperature, you can tell it's Autumn because the terrestrial television schedules are packed with new programmes after a summer of what can best be described as blandness.

When I say new programmes, I mean new series of shows that have been running for what seems like an eternity - step forward The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing - now the prelude to Christmas. 

Note Christmas cards appeared in the shops mid-August this year - soon they'll be available at Easter!

But I'm particularly pleased to welcome back Great British Bake Off to my small screen - that's my Tuesday nights sorted.

Even after just one episode, I'm well and truly hooked - I already care about the competitors and the quality of their bakes.

Not that I agreed at all with Prue and Paul's first week choices for star baker and who left the tent for good.  In my opinion, Briony should have won the coveted apron, and Terry the moustache man should have gone home.  No offence Terry, but I'm not sure that the brandy-snap creation even fulfilled the self-portrait biscuit brief.

I will concede that Imelda, who sadly did leave, made a self-portrait that looked like a small child starting nursery had drawn it, but she did admit at the outset that she wasn't much of an artist.

So I already have my favourites - Briony from Bristol, Anthony the Bollywood baker, and Rahul, who I think could also have an alternative career in The Big Bang Theory if GBBO doesn't pan out, as he's a nuclear scientist.

I hear Manon, the baking blogger from Brittany (yet more alliteration, sorry), is tipped to win, but her self-portrait biscuit was a rather worrying shade of green, like she'd just been on the pirate ship at Wicksteed Park, where I witnessed my brother turn that exact same shade having enjoyed that particular ride.

I shall continue to watch with interest of course, especially as Sandi and Noel appear to have swapped hair-stylists, and Prue is channelling her inner Dame Edna and sporting some rather splendid new specs...