We're having a little bit of a delay tomorrow with the soap ratings side of things...to let you all know...but I'm sure there'll be other sources available.

After the events of the last few days, I have decided not to revisit the thread again. Sometimes it's hard to have banter on forums, because nobody knows when one is joking/being serious - and smilies tend to confuse the situation further sometimes.

But, all-in-all, I have enjoyed all of the debates in the last few years, and I'm quite glad that everything gets heated...even if it does delve into the realms of fantasy with me on the most part.

Hopefully, in terms of providing ratings on the website, I have listened to all of your ideas. Just for future reference, I will always provide ITV1 soaps with HD included.

I am grateful for all of your ideas, and all of the discussion. But it's probably best that I take my schedules, big ideas and other interests elsewhere - or keep them to myself!

Many Thanks,
PJ

I don't think you should leave the thread PJ. I enjoy reading your ideas and some of them can be very good. Others can be more unrealistic but even so they're still interesting. I don't think you did yourself any favours yesterday and you didn't come over well but overall you're a valued contributor to the thread and I don't think you should leave it for good.

On another note, what a dire night last night, and Magic Numbers really is a disaster. I do think it's a better show than either of BBC1's offerings so it's a bit of a shame. No great loss though and I wonder if ITV will end it early. 101 Ways finally dropped but it's still too high. Fairly good for Casualty but it shouldn't really be below 5m.

Casualty seems to be the top performer over the summer months until the X Factor arrives - well done to Casualty.

Nothing on Fridays soaps yet then?

Very good rating for the European Athletics Championships, beating ITV1; BBC2 almost beat ITV1 in primetime overall! John Bishop held up really well, barely losing any viewers compared to last week's first episode. 30 Years Of An Audience With is doing a decent job for ITV1 compared to the rest of their schedule and might get another series next summer because it must be cheap. Solid 1m+ figures for Five's three crime drama repeats.

Is there a date for this years X Factor yet? It would normally launch on the third Saturday in August (which would be the 15th), but last year it launched on 22nd. Magic Numbers is a 7 part series and will end on 28th whilst Odd One In is an 8 part series, both will end on 4th September.

I'm guessing ITV are going to put it back consistently in the 8pm slot so that either means it will launch on 4th September (could it be on Saturdays and Sundays?) once Magic Numbers vacates the slot, or they'll bring the schedule forward an hour, but that would be pointless for the sake of 1-2 episodes.

The third Saturday in August is the 21st.

21st is almost confirmed as the press pack is due out on the 17th as with the last series of both X Factor and BGT it has been the Tuesday before the series launch. I guess they'll have X Factor at 8pm with Magic Numbers after it, if it isn't puled early. The Sunday shows will probably begin on the 19th September as that's the week after Heartbeat airs and ITV have no room for it on the 12th so it can't be any earlier than the 19th.

Just out of interest - do we know if itv2 will be showing X Factor Australia. Seven seem to be investing a lot in the format and would fit nicely on itv2 I think.

Obviously it would depend on when they could show it. If they delay it like they've done with America's Got Talent then it would be pointless in my opinion.

It just shows that the majority don't like junk TV.

ITV1's 13.5%. for a sat night even in summer is very poor. Even if ITV1 get better programmes it's hard to bring myself to tune in, I feel like I'm sluming it.

I've been working Tuesday-Saturday instead of Monday-Friday, I've been getting mixed up, thought today was Saturday until I just checked

I do agree that, incredible as technology is, communication can be a difficult business without face to face contact as words can be taken in so many ways without an expression to give them meaning.
Have to say Im still in a state of surprise as to you becoming a staff member as it seemed to happen overnight and all of a sudden your reports were appearing as well as the posts. Congrats on that-Im assuming you must live close to DS offices or is work just an online thing?
Anyway best of luck if you dont post again.

That's a shame. We've had our differences in the past, and I didn't like the way you spoke to a couple of posters yesterday, but I'll still be sad to see you go. Your enthusiasm for schedules became infectious, even if some of your ideas were a little off-the-wall. Good luck in your role at Digital Spy.

Ah! Thanks, rzt.

That's interesting, but as Score says I reckon BBC1 are increasing the amount of episodes per year, especially if the new series is starting very soon. It would make sense, because Series 7 is already in production, and if they wait till next Jan/Feb to air series 6 then there will soon be a huge backlog.

---

Back to last night and an awful performance for Magic Numbers-2.4m on Saturday primetime ITV1. And launching the all new Millionaire on Tuesdays is an awful idea imo. Put it back on Saturdays where it can get some of the old viewers back and boost ITV's Saturday performance, I think ITV will learn not to start 2 brand new shows back to back again.

BBC1's early evening schedule dented by Athletics, but decent for Casualty and John Bishop.

Doubtful. General policy as far as imports go is if it's not from America then it's not worth bothering with.

I was shocked that MasterChef Australia made it to air over here, albeit only on Watch and they still haven't bought Series 2 rights despite a successful first run.

That's a shame as it does look like effort is being put in to make it as good as possible.

I heard some positive reviews from people who went along to the auditions as well.

Seven are definitely going to town on the promotion side of things, with ITV1 style "X" break bumpers during commercial breaks.

And with the Proms on BBC2 at the same time of it instead of Athletics, its ratings will probably go up.
Why are people watching this programme. It's the worst game show format in the history of television*.

Good to see John Bishop holding on to most of his opening week audience. I think last night's show was better than last week's.


*actually, I doubt that very much. However bad it is, I bet there's been worse.

I doubt ITV will be too concerned about having to change the start times of Odd One In and Magic Numbers, especially giving their poor performances in the ratings.

I predict:
5.15 Odd One In
6.00 Magic Numbers
7.00 You've Been Framed
8.00 X Factor.

I just mean its because something will have to give, or at least one of these shows will be pushed into a daytime slot and make the ratings even lower, the chance of even less money to cover the costs. I imagine both shows are loss making.

I doubt they're loss making as they both look so cheap. Odd One In will probably keep it's slot with Magic Numbers moved to 9/9:30pm as 30 Years of An Audience With ends on the 14th.

Would Magic Numbers necessarily get the better slot? Surely out of the two Odd One In is more deserving, beating Magic Numbers in terms of audience share every week.

God they should get the Seven promo people to do our promo's ! Their great! You never know it might be a joint thing that both the UK and Australin versions use the promos, just changing the judges! As the CGI ones look like there were expensive to make!

I was suprised to see so many of our last serious finalists on the promo - if there've filmed it - you' think the'd have there own people to put on there! And people moan that ITV over hype our version - apparently it's the "biggest show in the world."

Can't believe that X Factor's on in like 3 weeks - time goes to quickly - seems like only yesterday we were talking about BGT!

Also on a totally unrelated note - sorry to see you leave PJ - whilst like some have said some fantasy schedules were a bit drastic sometimes, they did create some great debate on here, after all thats what a thread like this should be like!

I wonder why Talking Telephone Numbers was a hit in the 90s but Magic Numbers in the 10s is a flop?
Has TV moved on and people aren't interested in this type of stuff anymore?
Or were people not interested even back then but they ddn't have any alternatives?

There's a lot of bright and colourful gameshows in the 90s/early 00s that I can see people not entertaining thesedays. Remember that Shane Ritchie fronted Bingo show? Didn't that last a few series? Yet it was cheap and nasty even then.

I can see 101 ways getting recommissioned by default like a lot of dross seems to do on the BBC (see Life of Riley)