Doctor Who (BBC1); Casanova (BBC1); The Morning After (C4): TONY Blair has been reading my mind.

Seeing him on ITV1's Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway interviewed by Little Ant and Little Dec the other week, I thought to myself, "He should've gone on Doctor Who on the BBC because that programme gets a bigger audience".

Before you could say "exterminate", he'd joined the Time Lord in his adventures. Admittedly, the role wasn't up to much - this unnamed PM was seen falling unconscious from a cupboard in Number Ten.

But any publicity is good publicity during an election campaign, even if the Doctor shouted, "If you want aliens, you've got them - they're in Downing Street".

This is something the more perceptive among the population spotted some time ago. Proof came as Cabinet members unzipped their heads, slipped off their human skins and emerged as large, reptile-like monsters with a violent streak. Rumours that they're modelled on John Prescott are cruel and unnecessary.

Politicians could do worse than appear on popular series to attract votes. With party political broadcasts resembling Rory Bremner sketches, it's difficult to tell the real thing from the satire.

Appearing in the excellent Casanova, which completed its BBC3 to BBC1 transfer last night, would enhance any would-be MP's reputation. The old Lothario made a name for himself by advertising for a single woman to rent a room in his house. The resulting tittle-tattle made him the talk of the town.

"I've become famous for being outrageous," said Casanova, echoing the thoughts of the modern world's here today, gone tomorrow celebrities.

The Prime Minister could take in a lodger at Number Ten, but avoid giving a rent book to anyone green, slimy or unable to speak English (although under Conservative immigration rules, their spaceship would be turned back at Dover).

Casanova provides an opportunity to check out the next Doctor Who as actor David Tennant is moving on from womanising to take over the controls of the Tardis. Much as I like Christopher Eccleston's impersonation of the time traveller, I reckon Tennant will be just as good.

As my personal Tardis has taken a column labelled Last Night's TV back to the weekend, let's reflect on The Morning After, possibly the most ramshackle and pointless piece of television for many a month.

It's supposed to be an irreverent look at the past week's events but is an almost unwatchable hotchpotch of interviews, comment and competitions. There was some political talk when a Footballers' Wives actress was instructed to push a £60,000 camera at lifesize celebrity skittles in order to knock them over. "There's (Charles) Kennedy in front of Howard and Blair, how often do you get to say that?," asked presenter Olivia Lee.

Co-presenter Simon Amstell noted that since the show began, ratings weren't great but emigration had gone up. My bet is that if you played the same game with real politicians instead of cardboard cut-outs, ratings would soar.

Published: 19/04/2005