Whicher yet another Itv program down year on year. Even taking the scd overlap into account, no way should it be rating as low as 2.3m. But the Itv weekly reach crisis is doing a lot of damage to many of Itvs returning show ratings. I imagine Cilla will be another ratings flop for the broadcaster, to add to Chasing Shadows and whicher.
I can't see Cilla rating well at all either, but its not due to ITVs 'Weekly reach crisis' its simply because she's a has been who was more famous for Blind Date than her singing career and nobody really cares anymore. Plus the last Cilla special where ITV tried to peddle her as a national treasure died on its backside- I just don't see how it holds any appeal?
Mr Whicher down 1.4m and six share points on the slot average. That actually flatters it because ITV are normally rating low with the news and filler/PSB after 22:00 on Sundays. What the hell were they thinking with that scheduling? At least with a 21:15 junction it would have had a fighting chance. The Village was there for the taking, even with a big lead-in. Indeed, X Factor handed over a ~9.2m lead-in (inc +1), but it all drained away with a long ad break while Strictly had 15 minutes to go... dearie me.
Mr Whicher down six points on slot average. That actually flatters it because ITV are normally rating low with the news and filler/PSB after 22:00 on Sundays. What the hell were they thinking with that scheduling?
Don't know. When you consider their non-event of a summer schedule, you have to wonder why they couldn't have found a more suitable place for it there so they were at least offering something more substantial than repeats and low key filler, instead of wasting it in the way that they did last night. It does show the post-X Factor slot isn't all it's cracked up to be when it's a show aimed at a completely different demographic and starting at a junction (21:05) not observed by any other major channel.
Seems like everything suffered due to Strictly and X Factor as expected. Whether you are Team BBC or Team ITV, both did great against each other and it shows that both have their own loyal fanbases.
Lets remember, its similar to a Emmerdale/EE clash, when they both record under 6m, for X factor to get high 7m and Strictly to get mid 8m at the same time is brilliant for both for a spring/summer that has been horrific in terms of ratings in general, bar British Bake Off.
Thought I'd post the top 20 most watched shows of the year now that we've seen a few changes/high rated shows. It's not to cause arguments it's just to show what shows have rated well. Still annoyed that ITV chose to submit full broadcast logs to BARB.
Re World Cup ratings I've used the BARB figures that are widely available, although I remember DMN using broadcast averages in the 2010 charts. Was unsure of what to do. Plus I like seeing a big rating up there in the number one spot.
Most Watched Programmes of 2014 [Top 20 - Officials]
01 - 14.92m - World Cup 2014: Germany v Argentina (13/07/14) - BBC 1/HD
02 - 13.87m - World Cup 2014: England v Uruguay (19/06/14) - ITV/HD
03 - 12.72m - Sherlock (01/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
04 - 11.84m - Britain’s Got Talent (12/04/14) - ITV/HD
05 - 11.35m - Call the Midwife (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
06 - 10.65m - Coronation Street (20/01/14) - ITV/HD
07 - 10.25m - The Great British Bake Off (27/08/14) - BBC 1/HD
08 - 10.09m - The X Factor (30/08/14) - BBC 1/HD
09 - 9.41m - The Voice UK (08/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
10 - 9.28m - The Musketeers (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
11 - 9.20m - Birds of a Feather (02/01/14) - ITV/HD
12 - 9.17m - Doctor Who (23/08/14) - BBC 1/HD
13 - 9.09m - EastEnders (21/04/14) - BBC 1/HD
14 - 8.94m - Eurovision Song Contest (10/05/14) - BBC 1/HD
15 - 8.84m - Death in Paradise (11/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
16 - 8.09m - Jonathan Creek (28/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
17 - 8.02m - Sport Relief (21/03/14) - BBC 1/HD
18 - 7.98m - Emmerdale (27/01/14) - ITV/HD
19 - 7.92m - Silent Witness (02/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
20 - 7.83m - The Crimson Field (06/04/14) - BBC 1/HD
Most Watched Programmes of 2014 [Top 20 - Overnights]
01 - 13.29m (55.5%) - World Cup 2014: England v Uruguay (19/06/14) - ITV/HD
02 - 12.09m (50.3%) - World Cup 2014: Germany v Argentina (13/07/14) - BBC 1/HD
03 - 10.54m (45.0%) - Britain’s Got Talent (12/04/14) - ITV/HD
04 - 9.72m (38.7%) - Coronation Street (20/01/14) - ITV/HD
05 - 9.61m (36.1%) - Call the Midwife (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
06 - 9.18m (33.8%) - Sherlock (01/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
07 - 9.03m (40.9%) - The X Factor (30/08/14) - ITV/HD
08 - 8.79m (41.9%) - Eurovision Song Contest (10/05/14) - BBC 1/HD
09 - 8.50m (36.6%) - The Voice UK (01/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
10 - 8.43m (33.7%) - Strictly Come Dancing (07/09/14) - BBC 1/HD
11 - 8.39m (37.8%) - EastEnders (22/04/14) - BBC 1/HD
12 - 8.29m (36.1%) - The Great British Bake Off (03/09/14) - BBC 1/HD
13 - 7.80m (34.9%) - Sport Relief (21/03/14) - BBC 1/HD
14 - 7.59m (41.1%) - Commonwealth Games 2014: Opening Ceremony (23/07/14) - BBC 1/HD
15 - 7.54m (30.7%) - Birds of a Feather (02/01/14) - ITV/HD
16 - 7.46m (34.4%) - Emmerdale (20/01/14) - ITV/HD
17 - 7.41m (28.9%) - The Musketeers (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
18 - 7.19m (31.3%) - Death in Paradise (11/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
19 - 7.19m (29.8%) - Countryfile (23/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
20 - 7.05m (35.9%) - Six O’Clock News (14/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
Seems like everything suffered due to Strictly and X Factor as expected. Whether you are Team BBC or Team ITV, both did great against each other and it shows that both have their own loyal fanbases.
Lets remember, its similar to a Emmerdale/EE clash, when they both record under 6m, for X factor to get high 7m and Strictly to get mid 8m at the same time is brilliant for both for a spring/summer that has been horrific in terms of ratings in general, bar British Bake Off.
Can I captain Team Couldn't Give Two Hoots? I do watch substantially more BBC, but who doesn't?
I do agree with you that there weren't any losers last night. X Factor isn't in top form and needs to find extra from somewhere, but it may yet do so.
Thanks. I don't think you can do overnights easily for ITV, but do you have the Live/all timeshift split for it please?
Don't know about D.M.N. but I don't have that info, but I can tell you that the overnight for it was 1.16m (0.96m exc +1). Not sure if D.M.N.'s official includes +1 or not.
The fanboy posts and Cowell bashing is unnecessary and doesn't add to the thread at all. Post something constructive.
.
Pot kettle black..........
If Cowell puts himself, no thrusts himself, into the public domain voluntarily, he is putting himself forward for public scrutiny. Criticising him and people being sarcastic about him is part of the celebrity agenda. Some people will like him, some don't. It's life.
There is no way on earth that DW (a family programme) would start post-9pm (or later, given the need for the Lottery Results).
Though Our Zoo was on at 9 pm and that is probably more family friendly than quite a lot of recent Doctor Who has been.
However, as ratings showed (and common sense should have suggested to those who planned it beforehand) it was not a good idea to make that move with Our Zoo - especially in the first week back at school after Summer when families are less likely to let youngsters stay up late during mid week.
So I agree that the BBC are surely not going to schedule DW that late even on an autumn Saturday. Too much of a risk given the live viewing figures are falling versus catch up.
Plus they will have to fit Casualty in as well after next week.
As for Strictly v X Factor, honours even really. Despite the needless attempt to schedule one another into submission. It is a simple fact that if you put the two side by side ITV will lose as most people with PVRs will surely choose a programme packed with ad breaks to record over one that has none. That way you get to watch the ad filled one in 'real' time and go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Who - wanting to watch both - bar die hard X Factorites - would choose to watch 65 minutes of programme (inc ads) and then follow it with 75 minutes of pure Strictly? Common sense suggests you watch Strictly and then zip through X Factor and watch both by 10 pm.
The extra 15 minutes for Strictly not only helped KO Whicher but also added to the number who would have been nudged into this catch up mode. It was actually quite clever scheduling that ITV should probably have seen coming.
So what does this mean for when Strictly returns. Is Charlotte Moore that desperate to clash with XF that we're going to find more than 30minutes overlap?
ITV should just stick with 8pm for XF, then LIVE shows move it to 7:30/7:45pm so its not going beyond 10pm.
Well, if ITV are so desperate to clash ED against EE, they can't really complain when it goes against them can they?
Can I captain Team Couldn't Give Two Hoots? I do watch substantially more BBC, but who doesn't?
I do agree with you that there weren't any losers last night. X Factor isn't in top form and needs to find extra from somewhere, but it may yet do so.
I'm on that team too. I try and be as unbiased as possible. Truth is nothing really embarrassed itself last night, perhaps maybe Whitcher from a big lead in and BBC2. My thoughts of the channels this year:
BBC1- Very good ratings in general this year, shame Eastenders is still not hitting the desired numbers for this year, Bake Off for me is by far the most successful show in terms of ratings.
BBC2- Having an OK year, there are a lot of hit and misses with the channel, the reliables are still pulling numbers in, eg. Dragons Den and Top Gear. But it has been beaten by quite a few channels, I'd say usually it was 3rd in slot a couple of years back, but now its struggling.
ITV- I personally think they are having a right struggle this year. They are not delivering the goods, but X Factor did very well last night when you compare how its performed this year. It also doesn't seem to rate well for shows after decent lead ins.
CH4- 2014 has IMO been its worst years and I have no idea how It got the Channel of the Year. In terms of both quality and ratings, its really been disappointed, when the reliable hits are not on (One Born, 24 Hours in A&E) and new hit Benefits Street, it has been doing badly, and been beaten by CH5 most of the time this summer.
CH5- It is clawing up there, well, it was probably at its healthiest in January with CBB and other shows doing decently around it, right now, despite falling, it is still beating BBC2 and CH4 which would have been baffling a few years back. Despite other shows not doing too well in overnights, these types of shows are timeshifting like crazy.
I personally think the winners of the year have been BBC1, CH5 and one I haven't mentioned... E4. It's very strong and outperforming CH4 a fair bit now.
Don't know about D.M.N. but I don't have that info, but I can tell you that the overnight for it was 1.16m (0.96m exc +1). Not sure if D.M.N.'s official includes +1 or not.
Thanks Score. Assuming D.M.N. included +1 as he normally does, that's an increase of +0.34m (+29%), which does seem rather substantial as Bake Off's also did the other week. There will have been adjustments to remove breaks and correct the start and end times but nothing major, I wouldn't have thought.
Don't know about D.M.N. but I don't have that info, but I can tell you that the overnight for it was 1.16m (0.96m exc +1). Not sure if D.M.N.'s official includes +1 or not.
If it's any use at all, here's the breakdown for it (inc +1):
If it's any use at all, here's the breakdown for it (inc +1):
Thanks again. Removing the breaks would only add about +0.06m, removing the first minute (it started at 15:11) would add practically nothing (say +0.01m), and it ended at 16:30 as per the tape-checked overnight, so we're looking at pure timeshift of something like +0.27m (+22%). That's more than I would expect, certainly. The primetime X Factors don't timeshift by anything like that percentage.
EDIT: and yes, the drops for breaks do look pronounced but I suppose they might be for ITV shows at any time of the day (besides breakfast when you just leave the TV on)? Not sure about that. We need a live breakdown really.
ITV need seriously need to sort out their scheduling this year. Its been nothing short of a mess.
Can you elaborate with some examples/ideas?
It's easy to see the problem but harder to suggest solutions. Obviously make better shows but I'm interested if anyone thinks scheduling is genuinely a problem, and if so actually see some ideas/analysis.
Thanks Score. Assuming D.M.N. included +1 as he normally does, that's an increase of +0.34m (+29%), which does seem rather substantial as Bake Off's also did the other week. There will have been adjustments to remove breaks and correct the start and end times but nothing major, I wouldn't have thought.
Might be guests? Particularly possible for Bake Off, a nice bit of light-hearted nothingness with the family round after Sunday lunch.
Really? I thought Pop Idol was huge in its day. It only stopped because Cowell wanted to do X Factor.
Just found this and you're quite right. 13.34m for the Will Young v Gareth Gates final. Even the Michelle McManus final managed 11.04m, and the hype for that was non-existent compared to Will's victory.
Incidentally, Loose Women had a total relaunch today - following its Summer break.
They appear to have moved from the large HD studio into the broom cupboard.
The new set looks much smaller and more spartan. They introduced it as if they had had an upgrade but it actually looked like they had moved out of Downton Abbey into Benefit Street. So budget cuts perhaps?
Indeed Ruth Langsford (one of the now regular lead hosts) said more than once that they were now practically on top of the audience and added they could 'see the whites of their eyes'.
The jaunty theme tune of the past donkeys years has gone to be replaced by something less jolly and more bland. There is now a travelogue like voice over telling you what is coming up on today's show. And the ladies walk in off stage en masse to sit round the table in some odd move that appears perhaps a misguided attempt to make the thing look more erudite.
As for the show itself, it was a bit more restrained though not noticeably more upmarket. The one guest was Joan Collins who is not really going to bring erudition and droned on (about drones which are filming up celebrities skirts now apparently)
They also spoke by satellite (or video) to some of the new regular panellists they have signed up during the summer transfer window.
This included star recruit Judy Finnigan live from the sun in the South of France on her hols who was asked why she was reneging on her recent comment that she was done with TV and was joining them as a new presenter instead. The answer that will thrill the audience with anticipation to tune in sounded to me something like she was bored after the hot summer and just finishing her new novel and so she sort of of agreed on the spur of the moment and hoped it might be fun.
Will be interesting to see how this new format pans out in the ratings.
But I suspect it will not make much, if any, difference. It could even get worse if all the fun is sucked out of the show by attempts to make it more like Newsnight.
There's another Whicher episode to come next week. Another similar rating on the cards?
It's a standalone story it seems so you'd have to expect a significant rise for it and a fall for The Village, particularly as both will start at 21:00. But I suspect it won't rate as well as it would have done without the poor scheduling this week.
75% of the way through the year and Sherlock is still top excluding the World Cup, get in!
By 31 August we were only 2/3 of the way through the year, but impressive nonetheless. X Factor won't be troubling the high-12s for a while, if ever, one would think, even with +1. Will Bake Off?
Might be guests? Particularly possible for Bake Off, a nice bit of light-hearted nothingness with the family round after Sunday lunch.
Good point: lots of guests around late Sunday afternoon to watch X Factor. Guests are added at the end of the seven days along with tape-checking adjustments but we never get the guest numbers. We don't tend to consider guests outside of Christmas/New Year but they are added all year round.
Comments
I can't see Cilla rating well at all either, but its not due to ITVs 'Weekly reach crisis' its simply because she's a has been who was more famous for Blind Date than her singing career and nobody really cares anymore. Plus the last Cilla special where ITV tried to peddle her as a national treasure died on its backside- I just don't see how it holds any appeal?
Mr Whicher down 1.4m and six share points on the slot average. That actually flatters it because ITV are normally rating low with the news and filler/PSB after 22:00 on Sundays. What the hell were they thinking with that scheduling? At least with a 21:15 junction it would have had a fighting chance. The Village was there for the taking, even with a big lead-in. Indeed, X Factor handed over a ~9.2m lead-in (inc +1), but it all drained away with a long ad break while Strictly had 15 minutes to go... dearie me.
Don't know. When you consider their non-event of a summer schedule, you have to wonder why they couldn't have found a more suitable place for it there so they were at least offering something more substantial than repeats and low key filler, instead of wasting it in the way that they did last night. It does show the post-X Factor slot isn't all it's cracked up to be when it's a show aimed at a completely different demographic and starting at a junction (21:05) not observed by any other major channel.
Lets remember, its similar to a Emmerdale/EE clash, when they both record under 6m, for X factor to get high 7m and Strictly to get mid 8m at the same time is brilliant for both for a spring/summer that has been horrific in terms of ratings in general, bar British Bake Off.
Re World Cup ratings I've used the BARB figures that are widely available, although I remember DMN using broadcast averages in the 2010 charts. Was unsure of what to do. Plus I like seeing a big rating up there in the number one spot.
Most Watched Programmes of 2014 [Top 20 - Officials]
01 - 14.92m - World Cup 2014: Germany v Argentina (13/07/14) - BBC 1/HD
02 - 13.87m - World Cup 2014: England v Uruguay (19/06/14) - ITV/HD
03 - 12.72m - Sherlock (01/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
04 - 11.84m - Britain’s Got Talent (12/04/14) - ITV/HD
05 - 11.35m - Call the Midwife (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
06 - 10.65m - Coronation Street (20/01/14) - ITV/HD
07 - 10.25m - The Great British Bake Off (27/08/14) - BBC 1/HD
08 - 10.09m - The X Factor (30/08/14) - BBC 1/HD
09 - 9.41m - The Voice UK (08/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
10 - 9.28m - The Musketeers (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
11 - 9.20m - Birds of a Feather (02/01/14) - ITV/HD
12 - 9.17m - Doctor Who (23/08/14) - BBC 1/HD
13 - 9.09m - EastEnders (21/04/14) - BBC 1/HD
14 - 8.94m - Eurovision Song Contest (10/05/14) - BBC 1/HD
15 - 8.84m - Death in Paradise (11/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
16 - 8.09m - Jonathan Creek (28/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
17 - 8.02m - Sport Relief (21/03/14) - BBC 1/HD
18 - 7.98m - Emmerdale (27/01/14) - ITV/HD
19 - 7.92m - Silent Witness (02/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
20 - 7.83m - The Crimson Field (06/04/14) - BBC 1/HD
Most Watched Programmes of 2014 [Top 20 - Overnights]
01 - 13.29m (55.5%) - World Cup 2014: England v Uruguay (19/06/14) - ITV/HD
02 - 12.09m (50.3%) - World Cup 2014: Germany v Argentina (13/07/14) - BBC 1/HD
03 - 10.54m (45.0%) - Britain’s Got Talent (12/04/14) - ITV/HD
04 - 9.72m (38.7%) - Coronation Street (20/01/14) - ITV/HD
05 - 9.61m (36.1%) - Call the Midwife (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
06 - 9.18m (33.8%) - Sherlock (01/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
07 - 9.03m (40.9%) - The X Factor (30/08/14) - ITV/HD
08 - 8.79m (41.9%) - Eurovision Song Contest (10/05/14) - BBC 1/HD
09 - 8.50m (36.6%) - The Voice UK (01/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
10 - 8.43m (33.7%) - Strictly Come Dancing (07/09/14) - BBC 1/HD
11 - 8.39m (37.8%) - EastEnders (22/04/14) - BBC 1/HD
12 - 8.29m (36.1%) - The Great British Bake Off (03/09/14) - BBC 1/HD
13 - 7.80m (34.9%) - Sport Relief (21/03/14) - BBC 1/HD
14 - 7.59m (41.1%) - Commonwealth Games 2014: Opening Ceremony (23/07/14) - BBC 1/HD
15 - 7.54m (30.7%) - Birds of a Feather (02/01/14) - ITV/HD
16 - 7.46m (34.4%) - Emmerdale (20/01/14) - ITV/HD
17 - 7.41m (28.9%) - The Musketeers (19/01/14) - BBC 1/HD
18 - 7.19m (31.3%) - Death in Paradise (11/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
19 - 7.19m (29.8%) - Countryfile (23/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
20 - 7.05m (35.9%) - Six O’Clock News (14/02/14) - BBC 1/HD
BBC1:
The Village- 4.18M
BBC2:
The Three Amigos- 432,000
ITV:
The Suspicions of Mr Whicher- 2.61M
CH4:
Houdini- 1.02M
CH5:
Celebrity Big Brother- 1.50M
ITV2:
Xtra Factor- 926,000
E4:
Made In Chelsea- 577,000
I do agree with you that there weren't any losers last night. X Factor isn't in top form and needs to find extra from somewhere, but it may yet do so.
Don't know about D.M.N. but I don't have that info, but I can tell you that the overnight for it was 1.16m (0.96m exc +1). Not sure if D.M.N.'s official includes +1 or not.
Pot kettle black..........
If Cowell puts himself, no thrusts himself, into the public domain voluntarily, he is putting himself forward for public scrutiny. Criticising him and people being sarcastic about him is part of the celebrity agenda. Some people will like him, some don't. It's life.
Though Our Zoo was on at 9 pm and that is probably more family friendly than quite a lot of recent Doctor Who has been.
However, as ratings showed (and common sense should have suggested to those who planned it beforehand) it was not a good idea to make that move with Our Zoo - especially in the first week back at school after Summer when families are less likely to let youngsters stay up late during mid week.
So I agree that the BBC are surely not going to schedule DW that late even on an autumn Saturday. Too much of a risk given the live viewing figures are falling versus catch up.
Plus they will have to fit Casualty in as well after next week.
As for Strictly v X Factor, honours even really. Despite the needless attempt to schedule one another into submission. It is a simple fact that if you put the two side by side ITV will lose as most people with PVRs will surely choose a programme packed with ad breaks to record over one that has none. That way you get to watch the ad filled one in 'real' time and go to bed at a reasonable hour.
Who - wanting to watch both - bar die hard X Factorites - would choose to watch 65 minutes of programme (inc ads) and then follow it with 75 minutes of pure Strictly? Common sense suggests you watch Strictly and then zip through X Factor and watch both by 10 pm.
The extra 15 minutes for Strictly not only helped KO Whicher but also added to the number who would have been nudged into this catch up mode. It was actually quite clever scheduling that ITV should probably have seen coming.
Well, if ITV are so desperate to clash ED against EE, they can't really complain when it goes against them can they?
I'm on that team too. I try and be as unbiased as possible. Truth is nothing really embarrassed itself last night, perhaps maybe Whitcher from a big lead in and BBC2. My thoughts of the channels this year:
BBC1- Very good ratings in general this year, shame Eastenders is still not hitting the desired numbers for this year, Bake Off for me is by far the most successful show in terms of ratings.
BBC2- Having an OK year, there are a lot of hit and misses with the channel, the reliables are still pulling numbers in, eg. Dragons Den and Top Gear. But it has been beaten by quite a few channels, I'd say usually it was 3rd in slot a couple of years back, but now its struggling.
ITV- I personally think they are having a right struggle this year. They are not delivering the goods, but X Factor did very well last night when you compare how its performed this year. It also doesn't seem to rate well for shows after decent lead ins.
CH4- 2014 has IMO been its worst years and I have no idea how It got the Channel of the Year. In terms of both quality and ratings, its really been disappointed, when the reliable hits are not on (One Born, 24 Hours in A&E) and new hit Benefits Street, it has been doing badly, and been beaten by CH5 most of the time this summer.
CH5- It is clawing up there, well, it was probably at its healthiest in January with CBB and other shows doing decently around it, right now, despite falling, it is still beating BBC2 and CH4 which would have been baffling a few years back. Despite other shows not doing too well in overnights, these types of shows are timeshifting like crazy.
I personally think the winners of the year have been BBC1, CH5 and one I haven't mentioned... E4. It's very strong and outperforming CH4 a fair bit now.
Thanks Score. Assuming D.M.N. included +1 as he normally does, that's an increase of +0.34m (+29%), which does seem rather substantial as Bake Off's also did the other week. There will have been adjustments to remove breaks and correct the start and end times but nothing major, I wouldn't have thought.
If it's any use at all, here's the breakdown for it (inc +1):
15:10 - 0.78
15:15 - 1.02
15:20 - 0.87
15:25 - 0.89
15:30 - 1.21
15:35 - 1.09
15:40 - 0.98
15:45 - 1.25
15:50 - 1.29
15:55 - 0.98
16:00 - 1.35
16:05 - 1.42
16:10 - 1.47
16:15 - 1.08
16:20 - 1.41
16:25 - 1.41
Looks like a lot of same day timeshift has been lumped into that as the dips for the breaks are more pronounced than you'd expect.
Thanks again. Removing the breaks would only add about +0.06m, removing the first minute (it started at 15:11) would add practically nothing (say +0.01m), and it ended at 16:30 as per the tape-checked overnight, so we're looking at pure timeshift of something like +0.27m (+22%). That's more than I would expect, certainly. The primetime X Factors don't timeshift by anything like that percentage.
EDIT: and yes, the drops for breaks do look pronounced but I suppose they might be for ITV shows at any time of the day (besides breakfast when you just leave the TV on)? Not sure about that. We need a live breakdown really.
It's easy to see the problem but harder to suggest solutions. Obviously make better shows but I'm interested if anyone thinks scheduling is genuinely a problem, and if so actually see some ideas/analysis.
There's another Whicher episode to come next week. Another similar rating on the cards?
Might be guests? Particularly possible for Bake Off, a nice bit of light-hearted nothingness with the family round after Sunday lunch.
Just found this and you're quite right. 13.34m for the Will Young v Gareth Gates final. Even the Michelle McManus final managed 11.04m, and the hype for that was non-existent compared to Will's victory.
They appear to have moved from the large HD studio into the broom cupboard.
The new set looks much smaller and more spartan. They introduced it as if they had had an upgrade but it actually looked like they had moved out of Downton Abbey into Benefit Street. So budget cuts perhaps?
Indeed Ruth Langsford (one of the now regular lead hosts) said more than once that they were now practically on top of the audience and added they could 'see the whites of their eyes'.
The jaunty theme tune of the past donkeys years has gone to be replaced by something less jolly and more bland. There is now a travelogue like voice over telling you what is coming up on today's show. And the ladies walk in off stage en masse to sit round the table in some odd move that appears perhaps a misguided attempt to make the thing look more erudite.
As for the show itself, it was a bit more restrained though not noticeably more upmarket. The one guest was Joan Collins who is not really going to bring erudition and droned on (about drones which are filming up celebrities skirts now apparently)
They also spoke by satellite (or video) to some of the new regular panellists they have signed up during the summer transfer window.
This included star recruit Judy Finnigan live from the sun in the South of France on her hols who was asked why she was reneging on her recent comment that she was done with TV and was joining them as a new presenter instead. The answer that will thrill the audience with anticipation to tune in sounded to me something like she was bored after the hot summer and just finishing her new novel and so she sort of of agreed on the spur of the moment and hoped it might be fun.
Will be interesting to see how this new format pans out in the ratings.
But I suspect it will not make much, if any, difference. It could even get worse if all the fun is sucked out of the show by attempts to make it more like Newsnight.
It's a standalone story it seems so you'd have to expect a significant rise for it and a fall for The Village, particularly as both will start at 21:00. But I suspect it won't rate as well as it would have done without the poor scheduling this week.
By 31 August we were only 2/3 of the way through the year, but impressive nonetheless. X Factor won't be troubling the high-12s for a while, if ever, one would think, even with +1. Will Bake Off?
Good point: lots of guests around late Sunday afternoon to watch X Factor. Guests are added at the end of the seven days along with tape-checking adjustments but we never get the guest numbers. We don't tend to consider guests outside of Christmas/New Year but they are added all year round.