MAYBE it was the expense of Christmas or the fact I'd just dropped my mobile phone down the loo (before rather than after, thankfully), but one programme this week had me sobbing longer than an Oscar-winner.

Jamie's Wish (BBC1, Tuesday) showed how the death of nine-year-old Jamie Stubbs from Southampton in 2002 meant life for Teessider Zak, who had about 12 months left without a liver transplant.

The documentary recreated asthma victim Jamie's nightmare last minutes as his parents Colin and Sharon fought to keep him alive and Zak's dramatic dash from Redcar to London by ambulance to receive his life-saving operation.

As a parent myself, watching the distress of Colin and Sharon as they discussed their dead son was completely unbearable. "How can they keep filming this," said my wife as I went through a third Oscar-winning performance.

Such was the anguish of Jamie's dad that I do honestly fear this programme did more harm than good to this country's need for more transplant donors.

But Jamie volunteered as a donor before his death and his parents have gone on to launch a charity in his memory and former How! presenter Fred Dineage, God bless him, opened a memorial garden.

Zak's parents, Urfan and Donna, were a credit to the North-East and sent Jamie's family a thank-you letter and video footage of Zak enjoying a more normal life thanks to the transplant.

In fact, Jamie's organs saved four other people as well, but his family keep his memory alive by celebrating his birthday with presents and have turned his bedroom into a shrine.

Perhaps Zak's progress can help them move on.

There were further cries of displeasure when my wife discovered she'd missed the final part of The Million Pound Property Experiment (BBC2, Wednesday) because she'd been busy watching Jamie's Wish on tape.

Catching the second half of The Crooked Man (ITV1, Wednesday) was no substitute for the slightly less macho meanderings of Justin Ryan and Colin McAllister.

"I don't care what Ross Kemp is trying to be, he still looks and acts like Grant Mitchell of EastEnders," said my wife as poor Grant, sorry Ross, pretended to be down-at-heel secret service agent Harry Fielding.

In fact, if you'd altered his surname to Palmer, come up with a catchy zither-inspired signature tune and replaced the lead with a young Michael Caine, they might have had something here.

Most series were battening down the hatches for Christmas and one of the strangest, Innovation Nation (BBC1, Wednesday), reached the live final vote.

Out of 5,000 original ideas, the public were asked to chose between a revolutionary pen which leaked more than Tony Blair's backroom staff, a collapsible bin capable of fitting in the dishwasher (a particularly teeth-gritting idea) and leak- proof swimming goggles apparently borrowed from the Sea Devils in Doctor Who.

The bin won, so once again a British triumph was reduced to rubbish.

I now wish I'd told my family I'd dropped my mobile phone in the dishwasher. Despite much cleaning and disinfecting by yours truly no one will even pick up this accursed item and it's been nicknamed the Poo phone.

Only a complete transplant from some cherubic old gent is likely to save the situation.

Published: 20/12/2003