Stars like Peter Kay want invisibility not privacy

Stars can get away with dodging publicity - but where will it end, asks Mark Lawson.

Peter Kay's Car Share ended with just - just - enough grit to redeem it from wholesale mawkishness. Sight gags - a billboard for C4's forthcoming My Big Fat Undateable Bake Off - and local radio trickles ("Forever FM... get in touch with your favourite bubble-wrap memories...") helped, and Kay and Sian Gibson gelled as ever, but you wonder whether both aren't just a little glad to get shot of it, after an unsuccessful (worse, just unfunny) improvised recent episode for which they got pelters on (sigh) social media. It'll still be hailed as something of a delight in reminding us of the glories that can be found in the dullest of routine lives, but I hadn't quite remembered the relative grubbiness of some of the gags. Then again, life - the idea of human perfection being, remember, preposterous - is mostly grubby. Amen to that.

Peter Kay's Car Share finale review

For the most part it was weak, bland and pretty boring stuff.

Car Share (BBC One) review

What he has manged to do in 12 episodes though is create a classic akin to Fawlty Towers.

Review - Peter Kay's Car Share: The Finale

It's titled The Finale, but is it?

Peter Kay's Car Share finale review

Peter Kay's Car Share finale didn't need to exist - but you'd need a heart of stone not to be moved by it anyway.

Peter Kay's Car Share, review: a perfect finale

So John and Kayleigh drove off into the sunset together in Peter Kay's Car Share. Well, no, actually they didn't, because Peter Kay had a nifty little joke up his sleeve for the last scene of this funny and poignant, but never icky, finale.

Peter Kay's Car Share reaches end of the road

Resisting the drive towards sentimentality, Kay delivers a high achievement in 21st century TV comedy.

Peter Kay's Car Share: The Finale, BBC Two review

Take that! John and Kayleigh get it together in a wonderful last road trip.