AFTER months of wrangling and wriggling by party chiefs, the leaders' debates finally materialised on our television screens, albeit in the form none of us had quite expected.

David Cameron was clearly the most pleased as he had avoided the potential elephant trap of a head to head with Ed Miliband. The incumbent is always averse to giving his opponent, with no record to defend, a level playing field and making him look like a prime minister-in-waiting.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon was also involved in the three Scottish leaders' debates, which were most notable for the clashes between the FM and Scottish Labour's Jim Murphy.

The first of four UK-wide events was notable for the presence of the ex-Newsnight grand inquisitor Jeremy Paxman, who, to no one's surprise became the star of the show.

As he launched himself at the Tory leader on the issue of food banks, zero hours contracts and immigration, the surprising thing was how unprepared Mr Cameron was. The words rabbit and headlights sprang to mind as the PM was well and truly Paxoed.

Mr Miliband was equally put under the spotlight, coming up with his famous election soundbite "Am I tough enough? Hell, yes."

But the key televised event was the seven-cornered contest, which, for many south of the border, introduced them to the political dynamo that is Nicola Sturgeon.

At one point, a faint smile could be crossing the face of the totally disinterested Conservative leader as the SNP leader clashed with her Labour counterpart on austerity.

The First Minister's feisty performance led to the later enquiry from some in England about how they could vote for the SNP.

The next UK-wide debate, now minus Mr Cameron and Nick Clegg, much to the former's relief but the latter's frustration, involved the so-called challengers and was remarkable for one iconic moment when Ms Sturgeon, Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood and the Greens' Natalie Bennett came together in a group hug on stage, dubbed the three graces. The image also saw Mr Miliband, symbolically perhaps, holding out his hand to them while Nigel Farage, at the other end of the studio, looked disengaged and distant.

During the three Scottish leaders' debates, which were most notable for the clashes between the FM and Scottish Labour's Jim Murphy.

Robust exchanges took place between the two rivals on austerity, full fiscal autonomy, health, education and immigration, among other subjects.

Mr Murphy appeared to have lots of prepared soundbites like "Nicola, you're entitled to your own views but not to your own facts" and "Nicola, you might be able to get away with that in England but not here in Scotland."

Among all the televised events no one crashed and burned; there was no seminal moment on which the contest turned.

They confirmed that if there is one thing the leaders of the main parties prize about anything else in an election campaign, it is control.