The return of Peter Kay to TV sitcomland is an undeniable event, but this is a weird one. The whole series of Car Share is going to be available on iPlayer for a limited period and then shortly after that it starts on BBC1, old school. 

I guess the rationale is to get more people getting used to watching BBC programmes online, but given that this will go out on conventional television so quickly after it seems a little half-hearted. Why not go the whole hog and put it out on iPlayer-only for a longer period like the BBC has done with Matt Berry’s new series?

Anyway, enough of this pootling around the houses, what is Car Share like? Kay plays shop assistant manager John Redmond who is giving daily lifts to Kayleigh Kitson (Sian Gibson) as it is eco-friendly and there is a shortage of parking spaces. Give or take the odd moments of standing around on the pavement all of the action in episode one and, presumably in the other five, takes place in Redmond’s little red Fiat.

The first episode gets off to a shaky start in every sense. An unexpected – and frankly contrived – incident creates some immediate friction between them and the conversation is awkward as they tentatively get to know each other. The brasher Kayleigh likes to listen to bland pop music and Redmond sucks on a metaphorical lemon as she sings along to Martika's Kitchen on Forever FM.

But you can soon see that under the surface things aren’t going to be so bad and they do have things in common. Occasionally a smile plays across Redmond’s face. They both happen to be single – surely they aren't going to end up sharing more than a car? That would be way too obvious, wouldn't it?

While Kay, who directed, is only credited as one of the co-writers here alongside Tim Reid, Paul Coleman and co-star Sian Gibson, his mainstream sensibility is all over the script. Kay has always had a populist/nostalgist touch and it is here too in Kayleigh’s Cilla Black impression or as he chats to his satnav or opines that the world has gone mad.

Incidentally, an observant wag on Twitter has noted that Kayleigh’s surname is Kitson. It may be purely a coincidence, but comedian Daniel Kitson was briefly in Phoenix Nights and has not been very kind about Kay onstage in the past. As revenge goes though, if this is payback it is pretty gentle payback. But then Car Share as a whole is pretty gentle. More family runaround than flashy souped-up vehicle. 

Peter Kay's Car Share, repeated BBC1, Fridays, 9.30pm from Nov 27.