There's nothing like a good bit of sun to increase one's productivity. So here I sit, more orange than David Dickinson, filing my column a whole four days early.

It's been an interesting week in TV land, with the standout event no doubt being the National Television Awards, which I popped along to on Tuesday. Quite why EastEnders took the gong for best soap over Corrie was a mystery to everyone. Bar the actors themselves, whose collective arrogance surpassed that of even Simon Cowell as they bounded into the press room. On a similar note, hats off to the cameraman who managed to keep his composure despite almost being crushed to death by an over-enthusiastic Fearne Britton as she bounded down the red carpet.

In Lost news, it's now only two weeks until season three premieres on Sky One. Furthermore, the first two episodes will be shown back-to-back from 10pm - then again, beginning every fifteen minutes until midnight.

Finally, a wee shout-out to a new drama you might not have caught (read: probably won't have caught) on Five last week. Tripping Over, about five twentysomething Aussie/Brits yoyoing between their respective countries with all sorts of interpersonal dramas in the mix. Catch it Mondays at 10 on Five (repeated Tuesdays at 10 on Five Life).

Anon: "YOUR LATE AGAIN!!!! STOP DOING THIS TO US......"
Neil: Oh, it's great to be back.

Justin: "Do you know if the US TV show 'Brothers and Sisters' has been picked up over here yet?"
Neil: It's gone to Channel 4 - and, if you believe the rumours, it's likely to replace Lost in the Tuesday, 10pm slot. I'm not seeing it, in honesty...

Linda Green: "Hi Neil, I missed the first series of Prison Break but recently got into this great show whilst I was in the USA on vacation. I wondered whether you know if Channel 5 have any plans to re-show series one before they start showing series two in the New Year?"
Neil: I guess you know how season one ends then, but never mind. As a special Christmas present, Five is repeating season one in its entirety every night at 11pm from December 23rd.

Stephanie: "Hey Neil, can you tell me if there are any plans for the american series Vanished to be shown here in the uk"
Neil: Five from the New Year, but it's not too long before the show lives up to its own name Stateside.

Tammi: "When is the second season of 'Weeds' going to show up on Sky? October was being bandied around as a possible start date a few months ago, but since then nothings appeared. Is 'Weeds' another show that Sky has pushed back to concentrate on Lost ala 'Battlestar Galactica' and 'Nip/Tuck'?"
Neil: To be fair to Sky, Weeds was never advertised as returning pre-Christmas. This show is begging for a team-up with Lovespring International though; my guess would be January or February time.

Nick: "I know there's absolutely no chance of Channel 4 showing season 3 of lost, but what about Sky Three? Since it's available on Freeview, Sky could get a lot of viewers by repeating the show on this channel."
Neil: It's technically within Sky's powers to do so, but I wouldn't bet on it for a while yet - at best, maybe a year from now as a lead-in to season four on Sky One.

James O'Neill: "Grr, I've just noticed that E4 have gone and skipped the school shooting episode of One Tree Hill and messed up pretty much the entire season for me. Did they even do a late night screening? Last week's continuity announcement just said it'd be back in the normal slot the following week. Any idea about repeats -- preferably followed by repeats for the rest of the season since I've no intention of watching them out of sequence."
Neil: It seems the mad E4 scheduler has angered many of you yet again this week with the heartless decision to drop a key OTH episode (although, as you'll be aware, the channel has had little to no affection for the series this season). It may be no surprise to learn that there are no current plans to air this episode (post-watershed or otherwise).

Just in time for the new season of Bones on Sky One (November 16), this week on the Swag Spot you have a chance to win one of five copies of season one. On DVD.

Isn't that great timing? Hopefully we'll even dispatch the prizes this side of Christmas. Click here if you fancy a bash. Good luck!

M. Smith: "Can you tell me when these shows are set to be shown here? My friend is downloading like mad but I'd rather wait and watch them on tv, just depends on how long the wait is..... Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, House, Grey's Anatomy, Supernatural, Criminal Minds"
Neil: All together now... JANUARY! Although in the case of Prison Break I can be a bit more specific and give you a tentative date of Monday, January 15.

Isabelle: "Hey! I was wondering if you could tell me if we be seeig Michael and Walt from LOST again or have they really managed to get off the island for good?"
Neil: That would be a fairly inconclusive ending to the pair though, don't you think? Don't read on further if you wish not to know, but apparently they have already filmed some extra stuff with Walt's character (in real life the actor is starting to gain height at an increasing rate) that will help wrap up that storyline at some point in the future.

Ann: "Heard about new show Dexter in the states, the premise looks intriguing any news on it coming down to these shores and how is it doing so far?"
Neil: It's doing well; so well in fact that Showtime has already ordered a second season. It airs here on FX from early next year.

Jon: "Do you know if Shark is exclusive to Five US or will it will be shown on Five as well?"
Neil: It can be shown on both, but the way things are going it may well be exclusive to US.

Laura: "Do you know when commander in Chief i supposed to be coming back to our T.V screens?"
Neil: It's on More4 every week right now, but I don't think you mean that. There is no second season, but there may be a couple of TV movies in the pipeline.

Sam: "Any idea on when Waterloo Road will be returning to our screens ?"
Neil: January. More news on that in the coming weeks.

Sarah: "Whats going on with the next series of Nip/Tuck? Loads of people are saying its not on until the new year now that Sky One have Lost. Is this true?"
Neil: It is, alas. The original plan was to bring it back at the end of this month but now it has been postponed to some unconfirmed date early next year. I should point out, however, that this became the case several weeks before Sky One bagged Lost.

Chris: "Hi Neil, any news on when the second series of Invasion will be aired in the UK?"
Neil: Oh Chris.

Dave: "Will ITV be showing Season 3 of Entourage straight after Season 2 finishes?"
Neil: As I understand it. Let's just hope more people start watching it, eh?

Andrew: "Is the House of Carters going to be shown in the united kingdom and if so when and which channel do you think may pick it up?"
Neil: It is, all across the realm. Watch it on E!, Sundays at 6, beginning tonight. It's car crash telly at its best.

Max: "I had very much looked forward to seeing Saturday Night Live on our screens this week on ITV4, as I lived in the States for a few years and it was one of my TV highlights of the week. Having remembered this morning to go and set the Sky+, I discovered that SNL had gone completely missing from the listings.
A look at ITV4's website shows an entirely different programme in the timeslot. What has happened here, and can you please find out if and when ITV4 intend to put it back on the schedule? Thanks!"
Neil: Slight change of plan... SNL is now on from December 9.

Norman McLean: "Sorry to see the end of "The Closer" on More 4. Seeing as how the show was dropped by Channel 4 a few episodes into the run, I take it they won't be buying the rights to the forthcoming new season?"
Neil: Au contraire, season 2 airs on More4 from next year.

As always, select the area to the right of each programme to read the text - but be warned that you may well be spoiled.

Torchwood: A strange episode this week sees the Torchwood and Doctor Who universes overlap. Ianto has somehow smuggled his girlfriend Lisa - a partially-converted cyberwoman from the downfall of Torchwood London - into Torchwood Cardiff. Unfortunately she errs more on the side of cyber than human. Expect deaths and punches a plenty. Also expect a really ridiculous scene with the resident pterodactyl. Torchwood airs Sunday nights at 10pm on BBC Three

Bonus scoop conundrum: At least one of the following is true:
1) Captain Jack snogs Ianto
2) Owen snogs Gwen
3) Ianto snogs a cyberwoman

Send your requests for shows to be featured in the Spoiler Spot to the usual place.

That's all for this week. Coming up next week I'll have news on the new BBC dramas The State Within and The Innocence Project, as well as the final episode of Afterlife (sob sob, etc.)

Before I go, a quick shout-out to some of the delightful characters I met on vacation, including salutations - and sincere apologies - to all those who frequented the fantastically-named 'Karaoke Bar'.


Additional reporting by Kris Green