The mighty may fall but the cash is still rolling in

There they stood, the once cool, hip and trendy boys from McFly, crooning earnestly and straight-faced at camp chat show king Paul O'Grady: "He's zany, he's shady, he used to be a lady."

What the blazes…? Had I just tuned into some sort of Monty Python-style parallel universe?

This theme tune the boys have created for the return of O'Grady's teatime chat show quite apart from being one of the most irritating on current day television, appears to have been borrowed from cartoon hit Top Cat. The lyrics are kitsch and cringeworthy, and the live ITV love-in, where the song got its debut, was tastelessly surreal.

But I'll say one thing for it. The song did at least remind us just how far the acerbic cross-dressing Scouser has come since his early days.

Who could possibly have imagined, back in the psychedelic 1980s, that bitchy drag queen Lily Savage, who was scratching together a living in the gay bars of London, would morph into Britain's 21st century answer to Doctor Dolittle, helping to rehome waifs and strays at Battersea, and the housewives' favourite TV chat show host.

He's taken to it like a duck to water; hence the outpouring of Twitter love at the return of The Paul O'Grady Show after a four-year absence.

So it was sad to hear that, after only a handful of episodes, he had to step down this week because of a recurrence of his heart troubles. Get well soon, sir.

O'Grady's certainly not alone in performing a celebrity career U-turn.

Some of the most familiar faces on the small screen are currently doing jobs which are far removed from their original calling.

Chris Tarrant and Robson Green competing with one another to persuade us to watch a fishing programme (never have, never will) . . . Aled Jones no longer walking in the air, but dubiously onto the breakfast TV sofa . . . PR consultant and Alan Sugar's Apprentice accessory Nick Hewer hosting cult Channel Four quiz show Countdown (how, and why?) . . . and reality TV tart Peter Andre launching a 60-minute makeover show.

We can now add O'Grady's quiz show stand-in Michael Ball to the list; how far removed from a West End musical can you get?

How many of them are only doing these rather tedious jobs with pound signs in their eyes, through gritted teeth, no-one knows. But it got me thinking about some other career changes which might bring greater audience satisfaction.

Foul-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsay massaging nervous competitors' egos on Masterchef, perhaps: "This food is so disgusting that even Americans wouldn't eat it."

Simon Cowell hosting Family Fortunes: "You're probably the most disillusioned people we've ever had. I think the group is horrendous, you have absolutely zero edge, no originality, I think individually you're weak, I think as a group you're even worse."

Or how about (and this is one for footie fans) Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger taking over from Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes.

Inspector Lestrade: "So Mr Holmes, what do you make of it all? Did he fall, or was he pushed?"

Wenger/Holmes: "Sorry inspector, I'm not prepared to comment. I didn't see it."