RZT
Hell's Kitchen has been axed, or in ITV speak " rested", which is the same thing. Ratings weren't that great- around 4 million for the last season- and it was expensive to make and, if a reality show is expensive and isn't getting big audiences, then it won't be re commissioned as it can't recoup its costs with DVD sales and repeat showings.
I often wonder if reality has had its day on the main networks as Channel 4 is pulling out and ITV1 seem to be losing interest, with no new commissions since the ill fated Love Island. ( Digital channels still like the format as a lot of reality shows are cheap and disposable).

Possibly. As for the post-World Cup slot, I think it's that James Corden pub programme which was reported in the media recently, that'll take the slot. Wonder how low that'll go ...


Yeah, the ratings were very average. However with normal contestants instead of 'celebrities', it'd cut quite a bit off the budget I'm guessing. It wouldn't even have to be live... the American version is completely pre-recorded just like The Apprentice UK.

As for reality TV as a whole, I don't think it's had its day just yet. The last series of I'm a Celebrity was the most watched in 4 years. Celebrity Big Brother 2010 was the most watched BB series since 2007, and even Hell's Kitchen got its highest ratings since 2004 (but they weren't anything to shout about)! But there's been a lack of new hits in the last couple of years.

Headcases was recommissioned ages ago so I don't know when it's going to pop up. Like Fudd says I wouldn't be surprised if it was shown during the World Cup but I'd rather they gave it a Saturday slot after X Factor in the Autumn. ITV could establish a comedy rotation on Saturdays at about 9.30pm, with Headcases, Comedy Rocks (better on Saturday than Friday), They Drink It In The Congo and a UK version of The Marriage Ref or something. It would be pretty cheap and could get them a decent audience all year round.

As for Hell's Kitchen, many of ITV's top entertainment commissioners still mention it in interviews so I think it's just on hiatus and they're experimenting with Kitchen Burnout. The US version is utterly hilarious and it is a good format which I think ITV should adopt. With his recent ratings, I can't see C4 being too keen to sign Ramsay on a golden handcuffs contract again so I think they could get him to do it. If Kitchen Burnout is a success (which I doubt it will be) they could both still air, as they feature different chefs (keep Marco on Burnout) and one would involve celebrities and the other wouldn't.

I think the problem for reality tv is simply that ideas are thin on the ground. ITV have 71 Degrees North which does sound vaguely promising. Undercover Boss has been a huge hit in the US, but never did much here on Channel 4.

It's the same with talent shows. Hence why we are seeing older formats that were previously passed over being bought by UK and US broadcasters (NBC reviving I'm A Celebrity, ABC doing the skating series, BBC1 finally buying SYTYCD?).

Yeah, it'd be interesting to see how it'd rate in a post-TXF slot. It'd be quite a good show to go after TXF as it's light hearted, young-skewing and also ideal for commercial reasons: as ITV can only have 40mins of adverts between 6-11pm, it means that after 3-hour Harry Hill/X Factor marathons they've ended up with very few commercials left (due to packing in as many adverts as they can in that 3-hr period), meaning that they've had to usually air cheap programmes such as Life Stories. As Headcases is only 30 minutes long, it could fit into the schedule and have the full no. of adverts possible in the breaks. A few years ago this sort of thing wouldn't have been an issue, but with ITV in a bad position financially at the moment, it's pretty evident that Saturday primetime commissions have been cut by at least one hour recently (Brekkie's touched on this point previously).


Ah right. It's weird how after a couple of failed series, ITV still didn't adopt the US format as it's so successful on the other side of the pond!

I agree.

TV is probably due a new genre breaking out.

For the 90s it was lifestyle shows - Changing Rooms, Ground Force, etc and docu-soaps - The Hotel, Airport, etc.

For the 2000s it was obviously reality TV - Big Brother, X Factor, etc.

In the 1980s it was probably the era where the soaps really took off - although some were around earlier. Same for comedy in the 1970s.

There is bound to be something ground breaking around the corner... I think...

Yep, it would work very well after The X Factor. The last series aired after things such as Foyle's War and Midsomer Murders so the audiences were completely different. Headcases would make much more use of the X Factor lead in than Life Stories did last year, which was hardly boosted from its usual performance (when Michael Winner isn't on!). Life Stories could move to Fridays and alternate with Paul O'Grady. ITV do seem to have cut down on the amount of new entertainment on Saturdays lately, as for example in previous years Life Stories would never have aired as early as 8.30pm, which was ridiculous for a show that, if it airs on a Saturday should be no earlier than 9.30pm as it isn't just Saturday night primetime material.


I'm surprised they haven't adopted it too, but ITV do seem to be obsessed with celebrities lately, but the US version definately benefits from using normal people instead.

None of the post 9pm 'filler' shows after the main show on a Saturday have rated well for years on ITV1

I miss the fairly cheap clips shows that used to air in these slots but they never did particularly well.

I also think there is still a place for '...from Hell' type programmes on weekdays but they became a lazy commentators stick to beat ITV with, so they went from loads to none at all in a short space of time.

(Just like people find 'hilarious' ways to get I'm a Celebrity's name wrong, people used to come up with 'hilarious' '... from Hell' titles a few years back)

For a moment there I thought you meant next Saturday against BGT.

BREAKING NEWS

Australia: Nine Network dominates Sunday with Underbelly return, securing a 35.2% share of viewing. Seven and Ten had 25.2% and 16.9% respectively for the first day of the new ratings period.

No, it's 'amateur hour' ITV Sport draining all the excitement, the fun and the prestige out of the competition.

They nearly killed it in the late 90s, they are doing it again.


People have commented on the National peaking well at 7.6m, and it's certainly a good number, particularly on the first warm Saturday since October.

But let's not forget that until the mid/late 1990s, the National was a 15-17m ratings banker, year in year out, one of the few times in the year when the nation gathered round the TV set without fail. Even in the multi channel era since the late 90s, it still was a 10m cert. And it always started at 3.45, moving back 30 mins only fairly recently.

Grand National Saturday was a biggie once for BBC1 - with the whole of Grand National Grandstand averaging 8m+ over 12.15-5.15; the Re-Run at c4.45 pulling 11-12m; and the News and whatever aired at 5.30 and 6pm getting a big leg-up that day compared to normal.

I don't know why it's stopped being the draw it was.

Seven
18:00 Seven News 1.75m
18:30 Sunday Night 1.31m
19:30 Border Security 1.27m
20:00 The Force 1.32m
20:30 Bones 1.17m
21:30 Castle 0.83m

Nine
18:00 Nine News Sunday 1.42m
18:30 Domestic Blitz 1.18m
19:30 60 Minutes 1.50m
20:30 NEW Underbelly: The Golden Mile 2.24m
*A Tale of Two Cities launched with 2.58m in February 2009.
21:30 Underbelly: The Golden Mile 2.07m

Ten
18:30 The Biggest Loser: Couples 0.88m
19:30 Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation 1.11m
20:30 The Good Wife 0.81m
21:30 House 0.57m

ABC1
20:30 Tess of the D'Urbervilles 0.42m

very impressive,

Very much so. I've edited to add that it was down on series 2 launch but to be honest these are still monumental figures for an Australian drama especially on a competitive night like last night.

compared to how ratings have dropped for other shows (possible due to Freeview) that small drop is really not that much.

Yes, given the explosion of digital add on services in the country a drop of some kind was inevitable. If anything, it outperformed expectations with most commentators putting it around or just below the magic 2m mark.

Underbelly's still a huge hit with very strong retention into episode two.

Wow. Haven't seen Aussie ratings above 2m in a while .

Any news if it is going to be airing on ITV1 since STV have been airing it???

ill be honest if ITV were to air Underbelly I would air it, ITV is not obliged to pick up something STV airs, but they should do in this case.

Oh, I hope so. But I haven't heard anything.

Couldn't they at least try it out on ITV4? It would be a good fit there actually.

I agree, but I wish ITV would have the balls to put foreign drama in primetime on their prime channel (I guess they're trying with The Prisoner).

That's true. Although if The Prisoner confirms our worst fears and nosedives after episode one, then it may well put them off again.

ITV have been unlucky at times with their imports, I must admit.

Whilst on the subject, do we know if Dexter is coming back at all either on the main channel or ITV4?

ITV has axed Dexter, I sent them an e:mail about it.

I guess having to wait for FX to show it, killed the ratings too much.

That's a shame, although I do respect their decision. They did at least give it a second shot and tried to make it work. I guess I'll just wait for the DVD.

well its one less hour of ITV that I watch, that is there choice not mine.

Same goes for The Bills, ITV is gotten very good at becoming an irrelevance to my life recently.

Something else is killing the Cup - not ITV. If the Cup was interesting in itself then people would watch it whatever channel it's on. It's not as though the BBC is that great and ITV is that poor (well, maybe some think that, but personally I don't think there's much of a difference).


Fantastic for Nine, Underbelly did fantastically. I'm not sure if the Australian version would do well in primetime on one of the big two though. A British version might, though...