AND so sadly, last night, we had to bid farewell to the cast of Shameless.

As a relative latecomer to the show - being honest I missed the first three series - my Tuesday night viewing isn't going to be the same without them.

When they are handing out the acting awards David Threlfall should be at the head of the queue for his shambling portrayal of Frank Gallagher, a man whose answer to everything is to head straight to the pub.

The families in Shameless aren't so much dysfunctional as non functioning. They make those featured on documentaries such as Wife Swap look like role models.

Shameless definitely isn't for the faint hearted, its comedy is definitely on the brutal side.

But it is a testament to the quality of the writing that not only do you laugh out loud, you somehow also believe in this unlikely bunch of misfits.

Done badly Shameless would have been a crude, coarse mess. But behind all the bad language and potentially offensive bits, there is a genuine warmth for the characters - take the love affair between Jamie and Karen which was truly touching.

All comedy dramas hope that they can boast one or two strong characters.

Shameless is simply packed with memorable ones from the entire Maguire clan to the lesbian truck driver - and that's why it works so well. Come back soon...