When it comes to car-crash TV, WWE are the masters. Dwarf skits, pec dancing, juvenile pranks, sex-crazed Punjabi giants – high jinks and silliness are never far away.

So it was no surprise that with Jerry Springer hosting the most recent episode of Raw, a mock-up of the veteran broadcasters’ havoc-heaped, screech-infested, secret-revealing tabloid talk show took place.

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Raw ended with an irate Bret Hart standing in the ring with the glowing Wrestlemania 26 sign hovering above his head. Even the most ardent of doubters must now realise that when WWE’s premier event rolls along in seven weeks time, The Hitman and Vince McMahon will do battle. 12 and a bit years after the pandemonium of Montreal, and finally there will be closure.

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I wish I could pocket William Shatner. I would take him out whenever I was feeling a bit glum or to add some joie de vivre to a night out. If he’s half as fun as he was on Raw, time spent in his company would be a hoot. This week’s guest host didn’t have that many decisions to make, but his rendition of various wrestlers’ entrance music, comedic in-ring tumble on Jerry Lawler, and “Match Negotiator” skit were terrific. The beauty of Shatner is his unpredictability, you’re never quite sure what the Star Trek-famed rogue is going to do next.

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There was devastating news at the start of this week’s Monday night Raw when Michael Cole revealed co-guest host James Roday was not in the building. That meant instead of two people I’d never heard of presenting the show, we had one person I’d never heard of presenting the show.

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Regular readers of this column – if there are any out there – may be wondering why it has been posted so late in the week. Well, much to my chagrin, my recording device failed to operate correctly in the early hours of Tuesday morning, when Raw is shown live in the UK, so I had to wait until the Thursday repeat to get my weekly fix of DX, Mark Henry and co.

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The coming year promises to be an exciting one in the WWE; Bret Hart has made a never-expected return, new stars are being handed their shot at the big time and the allurement of another Wrestlemania is almost upon us. No-one knows exactly what the future will bring, but here are my wishes for the next 12 months.

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You’ve got to love Vince McMahon haven’t you? Bret Hart was treated to a lovey-dovey, steeped-in-history return full of respect and adulation but just when peace had seemingly been restored – bang, the WWE chairman pounced. McMahon’s actions came as no surprise but the way the carrot was so handsomely dangled and then abruptly snatched away was brilliant; 12 years in the making, it did not disappoint.

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With Hulk Hogan making his TNA bow at the same time, Vince McMahon has pulled out all the stops to ensure that Raw wins the ratings war next Monday night. Jeri-Show will get their deserved rematch against DX, while Randy Orton and Kofi Kingston will also settle their scintillating rivalry.

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Christmas editions of Raw are always littered with comedic skits and 2009’s festive offering was no exception. We had an array of small folk, Tiger Woods-related satire, mistletoe-based segments, various Secret Santas, further humiliation for Chris Jericho and to top it all, Mae Young puckering up her lips whilst dressed in all-to-revealing Yuletide garb.

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It was awards night on Raw and the show was not lacking any glitz and glamour. The Slammy trophies glistened due to the cheap imitation gold they were coated in, while the Divas looked pretty as a picture in their elegant frocks. It was just a shame that the wrestling could not keep pace with the snazzy ceremony surrounding it.

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