I don't know whether its me or not... but I don't understand how an entire network can have an effect from one event. ITV never had an effect after Britain's Got Talent or The X Factor...

Glee is doing brilliantly for E4. Well deserved too.

Because CBS airs The Big Bang Theory and ITV airs Amanda Holden's Fantasy Lives.

Aside from some weird scheduling, E4 have a pretty strong line-up just now. Their evening (6pm-9pm) schedule is really strong and consistent. Hollyoaks is down a bit but HIMYM is doing great at 7.30pm (300-400k). Scrubs and Friends have always been consistent at 6/8pm.

But they've also got a strong primetime line-up, particularly on Thursdays (Big Bang/HIMYM & Skins) and Mondays (Glee & Cleveland Show). Desperate Housewives First Look continues to do well and other shows like 90210, while not setting the world alight, are getting acceptable numbers.

Glee really seems to have caught the imagination and have avid fans. They never stop talking about it on Radio 1 and "Don't Stop Believing" has been hugely successful. It's good for E4 to have shows that don't just rate high but also attract attention.

Commentators plug their shows during natural breaks in the game sometimes (in the same way that ITV or Sky might plug more sports coverage) as well as having promos in ad breaks. They'll usually focus on shows broadcast the next night.

Also, relative to normal US ratings, The Superbowl is huge. The X Factor is undoubtedly massive, but even the final was only about 50-60% higher than the next highest rated show on TV that week. The Superbowl will end up about 400-500% higher than other US TV shows.

It usually happens that ratings rise. For example, the 3 year high for Two and a Half Men relates to CBS having the Superbowl 3 years ago!

What is your current ratings estimate for the EastEnders live episode and hour long episodes?

I really hopes it does a brilliant number. If it was 5/10 years ago, it'd be an easy shoe in for 15 million+ with a climatic storyline. Not sure if it'd be able to get near to that number though.

Monday's number will give an early indication of what could occur for the remainder of the week.

I'd say close to 13m for EastEnders.

For the FIFA Final, could the put Wimbledon, Grand Prix, Eastenders, Doctor Who and the Final all in one day? Even through in some comedy for afterwards.

Not sure what to expect from EastEnders. On one hand, its airing on its weakest night of the week (figures are usually perhaps 1m or more lower on Friday than Monday). However, the curiosity factor of the live episode should get viewers who watch it on BBC Three or iPlayer to tune in for the first run - and of course, the massive storyline ought to bump it up too. I'd say 12-13m.

No, because Wimbledon finishes on July 4th. The World Cup Final and F1 British GP is on July 11th (both Sundays).

Oh, but my idea kind of stands. They could place an episode of EE and DW in between the GP and WC Finals. It would make for a high ratings day.

Not really. The schedule for that day is probably, almost guaranteed to look like:

12:10 - F1: British Grand Prix
15:25 - EastEnders Omnibus (R)
17:25 - Songs of Praise
18:00 - BBC News
18:30 - FIFA World Cup Final (k/o 19:30)
22:00 - BBC News

They'd be no room for anything else.

Very good figures in the big 9pm battle last night. Both Hustle and Law and Order have shown that two dramas can co-exist on Monday nights and get decent ratings. Hopefully Law and Order has done well enough for ITV to keep faith in it as its the sort of show that the channel should be trying to make more of.

Five's schedule on Sunday...



I'm not sure they are showing enough films nowadays. They seem to be cutting back a bit.

The rest looks sensible put wtf to Songs of Praise!

12:05 Formula One: British Grand Prix
15:25 Some Music Event/Film
17:25 Eastenders
17:55 Doctor Who
18:55 FIFA World Cup Final
21:55 The Royle Family

But if I could have control of the Final then

12:00 BBC News
12:05 F1
15:00 (15:05) Big Event (Music/Sport/Film)
-n/a- (18:05) BBC News Update
18:00 (18:07) Eastenders
19:00 (19:03) Doctor Who
19:50 (19:48) FIFA World Cup Final
22:45 The Royal Family/Other Comedy
22:15 BBC News
22:30 Late Night Something or other


There's a solar eclipse at 17:09:41 GMT also.

I really don't think that would be a major factor at all considering many people don't seem to be able to set up Sky in the right aspect ration, never mind tune in additional HD channels manually.


E4 in a much stronger position now than a year or so ago, and their strategy of aiming for quality over quantity with regard to original programmes is clearly paying off pver the throw enough shit and something will stick approach of BBC3.

I do wish though they'd chance something else other than Friends in the 5pm/8pm slots. I wouldn't axe them completely, but certainly worth dropping one episode and sticking The Big Bang Theory or My Name is Earl in the 8.30pm slot.

^Good idea actually. They should try pairing up Friends with something else and see if it would benefit. If it doesn't work they can always go back to the double-bills.

Will Barb be updating tomorrow?

Not sure if that is sarcasm or not...


Really don't understand your thinking. EastEnders at 5:30pm in the middle of Summer?

Even if it is World Cup Final day, but still...

Probably best if we remind ourselves of the 2006 BBC Final schedule:

BBC1
13:24 - Wimbledon
17:35 - BBC News
18:00 - World Cup Final (k/o 19:00)
22:19 - Sport Relief Does... Only Fools And Horses

BBC3 seems to have money to spend as well. £83m for the year to March 2010 and they only programme from 7pm whereas E4 had a £60m budget (with series like Dead Set obviously coming in at high cost) which may have been cut even further.

Misfits did OK last autumn without being a major hit but The Inbetweeners looks like it could be coming to an end after this series while Skins faces the challenge of reinventing itself again. I'd like to see them have a new sitcom at 10.30pm after The Inbetweeners this year so as they have another comedy hit in case it ends.

ITV2 could really use some of E4's success with scripted content (both UK and imported) and E4 could maybe use some of ITV2's success in entertainment/reality formats (E4 haven't even bothered in the past few years) to fill up some of the hours of repeats. All they really have just now is Fonejacker and Rude Tube.

On the subject of multi-channel, I think it's a huge coup for Living to have Elle Macpherson hosting Britain's Next Top Model. They should really get her "out there" to promote the show (she has the kind of profile that could even get her on Jonathan Ross).


I think in the long-run, that's something they might want to do. But for now (while TBBT still only has about 50 eps), I think one of the reasons why Friends does well is because everyone knows where it is at a regular time. I don't watch often, but if there's not much on you always know that E4 has Friends! Maybe in a few years when TBBT has built up more episodes they could move it into the 8pm hour. But when they do that, it has to be a permanent move rather than just trying it out.

Very good night for BBC One and also ITV1 with Hustle and Law and Order doing well, BBC Two did good with UC and Delia Through the Decades who is still attracting an audience even after 40 years, Channel 4 had a good night with Dispatches and Tower Block of Commons and Five also a good night with The Gadget Show holding up against Dispatches while Paul Merton kept its audience from last week.

Interesting to see how Chinese Food in Minutes does for Five, it was interesting to watch although it only had one ad break and that was for Sharwood who are also sponsoring the show in the same way that Sage sponsors The Krypton Factor.

Seems like a show which could do well and should be given a better slot imo, perhaps an 8pm slot with episodes doubled up? Or even Wednesday at 7.30pm where competition is fairly weak many weeks?

Also regarding FIVE I notice they have given up on the plan to stop CSI:NY and Casualty clashing as it airs against it on Saturday, but with a head start. Can't do any worse than the 1.7m for last week which is poor imo! The show should be getting at least 1 million more and deservcs the Tuesday 9pm slot I think.

That would make some sense, but not something E4 tend to do - their hits have to find an audience of their own rather than piggy back other hit shows.


Wouldn't flag up the Jordan Channel as an example of entertainment/reality formats - glad E4 have stayed well clear of that sort of show.

A Glee spin-off wouldn't be a bad idea - some kind of Show Choir comp - certainly not something anyone would have suggested for E4 a year ago! With Big Brother going though would like to more some non-scripted E4 content - shame Beauty and the Geek from a few years ago never got a second season as that was rather good, mainly thanks to David Mitchell's couldn't care less commentary. Would be nice to see a few shows which are just pointless entertainment too - TV takes itself way too seriously at the moment!



On to other matters and ITV3 get to Hair by Mr Bean of London next week. I know when that was released it was exclusive to video but has it been shown on TV since. I can't recall it being aired.

Wednesdays at 7.30pm would put against Nigel Slater and aside from EastEnders, the competition isn't exactly strong on Tuesdays either. I would think an 8pm slot would be better a better slot if paired with another cookery show.

The problem with scheduling after Casualty is that CSI: NY has ended up after 10pm so a 9-9.30pm slot is preferably and it would attract over 2m.