MAKING it on to a shortlist is always a psychological boost in any walk of life.

Liverpool should be very pleased with itself securing its place among one of a chosen few for Channel 4's exciting plans for a new National HQ.

There's also a possibility that if we don't land the big one we will get one of the proposed 'creative hubs.' 

We deserve it.

And when I say we - I mean the whole of the Liverpool City Region.

Clearly the Metro Mayor feels the same way as the other mayor, Joe Anderson - both put out gung-ho supportive statements.

I think a joint one would have sufficed, chaps ...

Already the BBC's move Up North to Salford has proved a massive success.

I hope that C4 doesn't go for the Midlands or another region. Liverpool is a natural home.

I reported on the station's launch and then, as TV editor, followed its development.

On November 2, 1982 Countdown opened the programming and it was followed by a Scouse soap called Brookside.

A breath of fresh air and not without controversy along the way.

At the time Mersey TV boss Professor Phil Redmond said it all: "Why go to London when all you need is here?"

That still stands.

He later created Hollyoaks – and it is still going strong.

Merseyside, in particular, has always been a creative 'power house' and with home grown companies like Colin McKeown's award-winning LA Productions the future looks great.

I have said in this column over the past four years there should be a Wirral Film and TV Liaison Office.

The talent is here in front of and behind the cameras and there are the wonderful locations.

Wirral's creative voice must be heard as the second phase of this pitch continues.

It will boost our status and our long-term economy.

I remember reporting that Liverpool had become European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Now it's sequel time.

When Channel 4 announce their decision in October, I am not alone in wanting Liverpool to be the name in the golden envelope.

*

ONE of the few times we are allowed to make mistakes in life is in childhood.

Happily, we can rectify any misunderstandings early on with the help of our peers.

I recall one classmate who was bemused when he heard on the TV news in 1973 that Everton boss Harry Catterick was standing down and the club were opting for a 'caretaker manager' to replace him.

"Why have they given the job to a DIY handy man?" was his deluded yet innocent line of thought, which was met with gales of derisive laughter.

But my favourite mis-thought came recently from a lad I overheard discussing science with fellow mates.

He said it would be truly scary seeing all the thousands of "crones in the sky" as predicted by a news report.

I must admit I did mentally picture this scenario - our clouds dominated by witches on brooms dodging planes for air space.

Until I realised he was referring to drones.

Clearly a schoolboy destined for politics and an ideal intern for Chris Grayling's transport department.

*

I SCREAM at the very idea...

Marmite ice-cream.

I will desert any such desserts.

Many people still can't come to terms with adventurous cookery concepts and shudder at the thought of such produce as Mars Bars in batter originally created in Glasgow.

Now a cafe in Essex is diversifying its sweet menu to include mushy peas and tomato sauce-flavoured ice creams.

Why stop there?

How about fish and chip ice cream with wafers?

I hope this idea doesn’t spread to the ice cream capital of the UK – Parkgate - where I can still taste my childhood dreams.

*

MY favourite tea mug has printed on it 'I hate meetings.' 

I should send it to Professor Malkoc at the University of Ohio researching the impact of meetings and why they take up too much of our time.

This Academic interviewed 198 people - everyone must have been in meetings.

He now suggests we should all stack up meetings to take place in one day.

Get them out of the way.

I'll drink to that in my mug.

It reminds me, I was once elected secretary of the Headington branch of the Apathy Society while at Oxford.

We never actually met up and as far as I know, it's still going but no one can be bothered to turn up.

*

THERE will be Snow over Wirral .. stranger things have happened in our UK weather.

But I refer to ebullient TV star Dan Snow who is bringing his History Guy show to New Brighton's Floral Pavilion on June 22.

And he really does mean it when he says that no two shows are the same.

He is already researching facts and figures referring to each area or town on the UK tour and will be using digital screens.

Dan revealed: "When I was in Birkenhead people were coming up to me in the street correcting me about things I had said about submarines.

"I find that the audiences often know more than I do."

He will get a ferry cross the Mersey and is looking forward to talking all things Wirral.

I shall leave a complimentary copy of the Globe in his dressing room to make him feel at home.

*

And finally ...

LIKE father like son, Dan's dad is letting off steam with his new C4 series Great Rail Restorations with Peter Snow tonight.

Peter, I have a request.

Can you have a go at restoring the train wreckage called the Northern Rail timetables?

Peter Grant