the previous Monday (1 December), but was delayed due to a power failure the week before which had disrupted work on the new set. 13 December – J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy wins the BBC's The Big Read after receiving 23% of the vote. 14 December – Jonny Wilkinson, whose last minute drop-goal clinched the 2003 Rugby World Cup for England, is named as this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year, becoming the 50th person to be presented with the award. 15 December Comedian Graham Norton has signed an exclusive deal with the BBC where he will help to develop ideas for Saturday night entertainment. He will join them in April 2004. Five airs a semi-fictional drama Hear the Silence, based on the MMR vaccine controversy which started when Andrew Wakefield published a paper claiming a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism. 16 December After hearing that EastEnders actor Dalip Tahil who plays Dan Ferreira in the soap, faces deportation after his appeal to work in the UK was rejected by the Home Office, MP Keith Vaz raises the matter with Home Secretary David Blunkett who says he will look into the situation. However, an attempt by Tahil to make a retrospective application for a work permit is turned down and he is forced to leave the series. He was eventually allowed to remain in the UK though. BBC Two airs a special two-act edition of TOTP2 featuring performances from Fleetwood Mac and James Brown. 17 December BBC Scotland will not pursue the idea of a Scottish Six news programme following a major review of output which indicates a majority of viewers are satisfied with the status quo. Sky One signs a deal with Fox to broadcast the third series of 24. 19 December The final edition of RI:SE is aired on Channel 4. It would be replaced by series such as Friends and The Salon in its early morning slot. The final episode of the long-running game show Fifteen to One with William G. Stewart as host is aired on Channel 4. The programme is revived a decade later and would be presented by Sandi Toksvig. The Day Britain Stopped is shown again on BBC Two. 20 December – Michelle McManus wins the second and final series of Pop Idol. Her debut single, All This Time reaches number one in the