Particularly as BBC1 has for 25 years often aired an extended EE on Thursday nights when storylines merited it, and picked up its biggest ratings for such episodes.

However, a desperate ITV, unable to build a reliable weekday schedule on the merits of its programming alone, has been forced to wrap both its soaps around every episode of EastEnders in a vice-like grip (bar Tuesdays where Holby does the job for them) to prevent hour long episodes airing without a clash and to try and claw back viewers when EE finishes.

The K Factor is such a waste, designed to panda to ITV viewers who wont watch anything that isnt a little bit like X Factor.

It is far from Harry Hill at his best, and a shocking use of the much loved Knitted Character, honestly if this is the best Harry has to offer, maybe Sky should be looking to sign The Knitted Character instead.

Fair point, but they've now seen the light (about bl**dy time too). I wish the BBC would as well!

If they want an extra half hour they could've easily bunged it onto Tuesday's episode, or aired a special on Wednesday.


Completely agree - there should be enough material without having to rip off The X Factor.


I'm astounded they haven't gone for a soap hour on Tuesday night's TBH (you may have guessed, the number of times I've mentioned it )

I don't watch Harry Hill all the time anymore like I used to because I feel I've seen it all before. 'Heather' from EastEnders eating that sausage and that cucumber what squirts blood are frankly disgusting and beyond childish humour. It's a shame because the show can be so good. I love it when it's just off the cuff comments relating to a TV clip and not all the slapstick gimmicks. I mean who is really entertained by that sort of stuff unless they're 5 years old? And I'd say my sense of humour is pretty silly but some of the slapstick stuff just doesn't connect with me and I have to wonder who it is aimed at.

I caught some of it tonight before Take Me Out (no I'm not a chav, but this show is so bad it's good) and I was pleasantly surprised by the K Factor segment but do agree that it went on too long. They got Danni spoonface Minogue spot on at least.

I thought the balance between the two tonight (slapstick v comments) was better than last week, but we really didn't need the vomiting scene. Thought Masie from Emmerdale sobbing everywhere was a better use of slapstick, especially as it used a former clip (with the wine bottle) to link it together.


And Rolando from Popstar to Operastar.

I know what you mean by Take Me Out. It's like a grubby little secret that keeps pulling you back in, even though you try to fight it. Still, last episode next week and then we can be pure again... *coughs*

Applause Store is now giving away tickets for ITV's new gameshow 'The Whole 19 Yards'. I think it's likely to be on air around April time when BGT is back. It says "very famous hosts to be announced". I doubt Ant & Dec will do it as they have 'Push the Button' coming up soon which has started trailing on ITV1 today. Any guesses on who the hosts will be?

Speaking of gameshows, 'Who Wants to Be A Millionaire' is back for a total 17 episode run in the Spring and Autumn according to ITV Media. And there'll be a revamp: no fastest finger first - just contestants coming out one at a time, a clock being brought in with a timelimit for questions to be answered in, a fourth lifeline: 'Switch the Question' once a person passes the £50k mark. I personally don't think it'll help its flagging ratings but I caught a bit of the US version which had the clock and I thought it was good due to the fast pace.

Also sticking with the ITV theme, The Bill's series producer Tim Key has been saying on Twitter recently that he's "very pleased with the ratings" and regarding the show being safe or not he said: "As safe as any show is these days! All is good here, and we're steaming ahead... We have a very good relationship with ITV." I guess if it can stick around 4m or even improve to maybe 4.5m, then it'll be okay.

Lol we always debate this but why is it such a big deal if it's a one off? It's not like they have a gentleman's agreement in the same way there used to be one between the BBC and ITV in regards to Corrie and EE not clashing - which I shall remind you ITV broke last November. An EE/Emmerdale clash is no big deal.

Holby should not be bumped out of its slot just to accomodate EE. Holby performs consistently and deserves that slot. Look how much Casualty is damaged by the constant change of time slot.

I don't think the BBC like moving EE about if truth be told. I think they have more respect for it than that. I mean it's only recently Corrie has settled down before that it was on and off Wednesday like a yoyo.

Sounds awful.

Should finally finish the show off.

Hmmm it's on ITV - probably Michael Winner and Mylene Klass then.


Compared to the dross on Tuesday's currently, even Millionnaire getting 3m a week would be seen as a plus. I think it'd do better if scheduled on Saturday's to be honest - Tuesday just isn't the night for it. I like the sound of the revamp ideas though. Should make it appear more slick.


He's probably the only one.


I agree, if it stays around the 4m mark it should be safe. If it gets too close to the 3m mark it may be in trouble. It depends on the 16-34 audience and it's cost at the end of the day. It gets a bigger 16-34 percentage than some which'll help, and as for cost...does anyone have any idea how much money ITV have to spend on it?

I wonder what's happened to Jo I didn't see her tonight. You know the tall blonde girl who was on the left side. Unless she finally got a date and I just can't remember it. I love how you build relationships up with the girls it's a bit like Deal Or No Deal for that aspect. It was a good idea having the twins etc. My fave is the dumpy blonde girl who keeps her light on for everybody.

I'm so embarrassed to be watching this but it really is fun TV.

Harry Hill is still good and I don't think the excessive use of visual jokes has hurt the show much but I just hate it when it's something icky like something being squirted over him or him eating something icky or as I said before seeing 'Heather' with that saveloy for like the hundredth time.

At least we debate and not sling insults at each other though.

I guess it is a one off, I just don't think the BBC should be using their flagship show in this way. I know it sounds biased, but ITV have to have a slightly different outlook to the BBC as they need income - the BBC get it automatically in comparison. They shouldn't really be pitting shows of similar genres against each other (and that counts for both channels, ITV1 should've never pitched Emmerdale against EastEnders when EastEnders was in it's usual timeslot).


Holby City would've been pushed back 30 minutes and given the same lead in (possibly bigger if BBC1 had warned EastEnders' writing team that the second biggest episode of the week would be on Tuesday night). It's not like it's being switched nights, or being moved away from EastEnders.


Plenty of time for BBC1 to arrange for EastEnders to be on Wednesday though - the soap revamp on ITV has been in place for quite some time.

Funny thing is, I couldn't remember Crystal from previous weeks. I did wonder where Jo had gone, I'm sure she hasn't had a date - certainly she was there last week and she didn't appear in the Fernando's clips.

Rian is too fussy for her own good I think. The twins - they're only there for TV time TBH, they'll never get a date. I know I'd get nervous if I had to chose between them, the other would probably make my life hell!

Shame Emma had to leave because of work reasons - she seemed to have a personality at least.

And when is Daisy going to get a date?! Though she did buzz everyone out tonight (I kept my eye on her...professional interest only, of course ) so not the men's fault this time!


Seconded.


I agree - sometimes his slapstick goes over the top, when a more simplistic comment would suffice and be funnier.

Don't foret the logistics of the anniversary. It would've seemed odd scheduling to mess with it. Actually 5 half hours might've given it more momentum but I think they wanted to do an hour long and stick to the normal days. I don't think they look upon it as using the show or denting Emmerdale. As it's so rare when EE does hour longs you get the feeling they're driven by the storylines in the show and not with any great desire to hurt any programme which seemed to be the case with the hour long ratings driven Emmerdales. As the soap schedule is so tight it's impossible for EE to do an hour long without hurting another show. Holby being bumped back half an hour is an easy enough solution I guess but the action packed wedding episode falls on Thursday not Tuesday so was never a realistic option this time.

yes the international market has created a few variations on the basic WW2BAM format.

Australia has something called Millionaire Roulette, which I think is similar.

Its not a bad thing, I cant fathom why anyone watches the show anymore, its beyond stale, so changing it a bit runs the risk of injecting new life into the format.

Maybe she didn't expect to be on it for so long and wasn't available to film or was it all filmed in one go ages ago? You always notice Jo because she's so tall. I quite liked her actually. Apart from the ones you mention the only other ones I feel I know are that Siobhan the little one with dark hair and that Emily the little one with blonde hair. Everyone else they just kinda gloss over.

I feel sad to know any of them but ITV have found an unexpected sorta hit with this and I love how it's just unadulterated fun. It must be doing something right to be averaging over 4m viewers. Let's face it nobody here had high hopes for it.

That's what I meant when I said if BBC1 warned the EastEnders writers early enough - so they could've adapted the script so the wedding fell on Tuesday.

I agree that the hour longs are a plot device, but at the same time I think they could be scheduled more wisely than they are at the moment (that's BBC1's fault IMO, not anyone to do with EastEnders).

I also agree that I think 5 half hours would've helped to build more momentum than having a break on Wednesday...also, Holby City has a Wednesday episode this week and (as has been said before on this thread) tends to struggle on Wednesday's usually. EastEnders could've been used in part to boost that episode.

It must be the first time one of ITV's shows has actually managed to build an audience rather than lose it (Britain's Got Talent being the last programme, maybe?)

I remember Ailie (sp?) as well - the one the Scot in the white suit was pleased that she turned her light off. The only issue with Take Me Out is that a lot depends on looks rather than personality - if the girls are patient they find out more about the guy, but the guy himself finds little out about the girls (obviously we know more about them as we see them every week!)

Sadly you might be right . Add Amanda Holden to the potential list as well. She was rumoured a few weeks ago to be doing a new version of 'The Crystal Maze' - maybe they meant this?!


Yeah, it'd perform better in the Sunday 7pm slot. Now that Heartbeat and The Royal are ending, I think ITV should plan to turn the Sunday 7pm slot into a gameshow slot (apart from when Dancing on Ice is on). All Star Family Fortunes has been a success, and I think All Star Mr & Mrs would rate well there also and Millionaire would probably do fine though its days as a ratings winner are obviously over. Bring back an old favourite as well, which would then have ITV covering that slot for the entire year.

Pander.

And it's just a parody which gently takes the piss out of some of the sillier aspects of The X Factor. It's not meant to rip it to shreds but I don't think it's what you're suggesting it is either. And it's nice to have a competition on TV that's free to enter for once.

The show is in good health. It has its weak moments as all shows do (I agree that the vomiting was a bit much) but its far from being past its best.

The K Factor is funny though. Maybe you don't find it funny but plenty of others do.

Oh dear. Who'd be her male counterpart? Piers Morgan?!


So what shows could go there? Family Fortunes, Mr. and Mrs., Who Wants to Be A Millionnaire...I think the Krypton Factor should be extended to a 60 minute version and placed on Sunday's; it's getting lost on Tuesday's. I think possibly Gameshow Marathon should make a return, as should Play Your Cards Right and Price is Right. Really the 7pm only needs to be filled up for 9 months, and 8pm for six months so it shouldn't be too big an issue to find enough programmes.

So tonight's ITV News is later than billed and the BBC News is earlier than billed, how odd!

By the way, I'm sure some people used to say this thread was overly biased towards ITV, the last few pages surely makes up for that.

According to the NOTW, Vernon Kay was one of them.


http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/show...ernon-Kay.html

Then again, it does say that he hosts Mr and Mrs. EDIT: The Sun is also reporting that he is lined up to host it as part of a new deal with ITV which would see him continuing ASFF.

Vernon does seem to be the only ITV presenter who could take it on. Schofield, Willoughby and Ant & Dec are pretty much fully occupied. Possibly Dermot O'Leary? He was far better on XF last year.

As for a female co-host, I'm not sure. Christine Bleakley? Not sure she could do it as well as The One Show but ITV are supposed to be interested.

ITV's entertainment appointments recently:

This Morning - Holly Willoughby
Take Me Out - Paddy McGuiness
Popstar to Operastar - Alan Titchmarsh & Myleene Klass
I'm A Celebrity... Now - Caroline Flack
The Cube - Phillip Schofield
Rod Stewart Special - Ben Shepherd
Cheryl's Night In - Holly Willoughby
The Millies - Amanda Holden & Phillip Schofield
Celebrating The Carpenters - Ronan Keating & Amanda Holden
National Television Awards - Dermot O'Leary

The I'm A Celebrity spin-off did very well last year so maybe Flack could be a female co-host?

Not sure whether they'll ask Caroline Flack - is she mainstream enough for them? After all, she hasn't taken part in a reality TV show on ITV1 and doesn't have big breasts, so she does have something of an issue.

Dermot would be good, I'd like to see Caroline alongisde him, but I'm not holding my breath. Myleene is bearable if slightly wooden. Amanda Holden is a probability - her presenting isn't too bad I guess. How about Tess Daly? If Vernon is presenting it, then their on screen chemistry could be interesting.

BBC should sell it's Dancing With The Stars format to another broadcaster, it's doing nothing to their image and it's looking tired. Selling it to someone like 4 or 5 would do give a win, win situation for everyone while the new broadcaster could revamp it and the BBC could get money from selling it's format.