Kate Thornton to front new reality airport show

As recent events in Greater London and Thailand have shown, far from being dull and soulless places, airports can often serve as the backdrop to the type of high drama even the best TV commissioners couldn't make up.

Of course, this has hardly bypassed producers unnoticed, with airports across the UK having featured in a variety of shows over the past few years, including serving as the focus of one of the first major reality shows to hit the small screen.

However, though viewers may well be forgiven for thinking that the airport has been well and truly exhausted as a subject matter for TV, bosses at Sky 1 clearly have other ideas, having just announced that former 'X Factor' host Kate Thornton is to front a new terminal-based series to be aired in the New Year.

The six-part 'Hello Goodbye' series will focus on the comings and goings at Heathrow's bustling Terminals 3 and 5, with Ms Thornton getting to know the tales of both travellers as well as the long-suffering airport staff.

So far, so familiar.

However, according to Sky's commissioning editor for entertainment, Steve Jones, the new show will break with the past in focusing on the happy stories taking place each day at London's principal air travel hub, rather than concentrating on the not-so-jolly aspects of life in an airport, namely missed flights and irate passengers, as has been the case in the past.

"Airports aren't just about exhausting queues, enraging delays and the perils of lost luggage. 'Hello Goodbye' is heart-warming entertainment, exploring the stories of people at the arrival and departure lounges," he explained.

"With tales of love, sorrow, family ties and friendship, 'Hello Goodbye' is the epitome of feel-good TV."

Also set to feature in the TV Guides early next year will be a new offering from 'Peep Show' duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb.

In addition to making another series of their sketch show 'That Mitchell and Webb Look' the pair have been busy writing a new sitcom centred around the lives of two businessmen trying to make their million from a garden shed.

Named 'Playing Shop', the series will appear on BBC 2 and, according to a synopsis for the show, it marks a shift away from the characters they played on the Channel 4 cult favourite.

"Armed with new computers, state-of-the-art stationery and a blogger's contempt for the rest of mankind, all they have to do is sit back and wait for greatness to be thrust upon them," the release read, according to Digital Spy.