Top-quality programme that writer's off — point taken (2,3,5,5)

I believe the answer is:

of the first water

'top-quality' is the definition.

'programme that writer's off point taken' is the wordplay.
'programme' is an anagram indicator.
'point' becomes 'e' (E is an example).
'taken' is an insertion indicator.
'that'+'writers'+'off'='thatwritersoff'
'thatwritersoff' with letters rearranged gives 'ofthefirstwatr'.
'ofthefirstwatr' enclosing 'e' is 'OF THE FIRST WATER'.

(Another definition for of the first water that I've seen is " most brilliant".)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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