Too true-we may need more than one!

The BBC shouldn't have to move Casualty from its traditional Saturday slot because of Simon Cowell. Leave it where it is for the 4-5m people that enjoy it. Eventually as the weeks go on and The X Factor shortens its runtime (we hope) the viewers will soon flood back. I am sure it will become one of the most DVR'd shows of the week until then.

I worry about Casualty. It will be interesting to see if the shorter lottery show gives Casualty any sort of boost next week.

Casualty really needs to stay above 4m for the next two months.

It's in the Ratings Thread store cupboard, next to the box of stopwatches used for timing BBC One's Christmas night.

EE does skew younger than Corrie, but the Northern soap still has about 1.5 million under 35s and is a big hit with gay men.

SCD and TXF Breakdowns for last night:

BBC One (Inc. BBC HD)
17:45 - 6.69m (37.0%)
18:00 - 7.89m (38.7%)
18:15 - 8.77m (42.7%)
18:30 - 9.32m (43.4%)
18:45 - 9.58m (45.6%)
19:00 - 10.03m (43.6%)
19:15 - 10.27m (43.3%)
19:30 - 8.61m (35.4%)

ITV1 (Inc. ITV1HD)
19:30 - 7.94m (32.7%)
19:45 - 11.94m (47.7%)
20:00 - 12.78m (49.5%)
20:15 - 12.69m (49.5%)
20:30 - 12.57m (50.3%)
20:45 - 12.50m (49.4%)
21:00 - 12.34m (48.6%)
21:15 - 13.48m (51.7%)
21:30 - 12.19m (48.0%)
21:45 - 11.61m (46.1%)
22:00 - 10.54m (44.4%)

Thanks to MattJ
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Looks like viewers drifted off from TXF after 21:30, which is similar to what was happening last year I think. Maybe that's why ITV want next week's show to finish 15 mins earlier?

why should one of the BBC's most successful Saturday night shows be moved to a day earlier surely that wouldn't make any sense whatsoever.

For me yesterday's rating isn't the biggest concern though. Casualty hasn't been performing well for months - even when it hasn't been up against The X Factor. I expected it to be around the mid 5s at the very least and instead it was in the high 4s/very low 5s with ITV programming performing well against it.

Maybe it's just me but it appears Casualty's on a decline of sorts. Maybe another example of saturation making people grow tired of it.

Oh come on folks, suggesting that Casualty is in some kind of trouble at 4m against the biggest show on telly is nothing short of farcical!

Okay, so it's well down on its usual numbers, but that's understandable. It will bounce back. And it certainly isn't going anywhere!

I think a big part of the problem is the number of episodes in each series, it's on virtually every week. This, coupled with the fact that there is really strong competition on ITV at this time of year, means that things aren't looking good.

They should reduce the number of episodes to around 20-25 and show it from January to May. Although, one could argue that Casualty has seen a downward trend in ratings in general regardless of the competition.

I'm a little surprised at the first fifteen minutes. 6.69m is a bit lower than I'd have expected.

Il keep that in mind, though I think the stopwatches belong to George S

A decline of sorts maybe, but nothing too alarming and it will be back to full health in no time at all. Let's not forget the many weeks in the year (this year) when Casualty has been the most watched programme on a Saturday, often by some distance. And the three weeks during 2010 where Casualty was the 2nd most watched programme on the BBC, after only EastEnders.

Not with me it isn't

A friday night just seems a better place for it imo and could rate well.
The BBC could use SCD as the start of the weekend

I think the investment in the move to Cardiff should keep it safe for a few years.

The BBC would be wise to fix it at 9.20pm, with the news at 10.10pm and football highlights at 10.30pm. Having a different slot every week is not helping.

I agree 100%. Casualty gets tossed around the schedules like no tomorrow. I think it holds up remarkably well considering! A fixed start time could do wonders, especially now it is clear it will have to face The X Factor in some capacity for at least several more weeks.

I need a tin hat to post on this thread sometimes..........

Lol

But the 'full health' of Casualty is not as strong as it once was. Though I guess low 5s is not bad at all; I just think it could do better with better scheduling and less saturation.

Paul o'grady said in his show he couldn't do it. Can't remember who he was interviewing at the time. Robbie is mates with Ant and Dec so it's not out of the question. Someone like Mel B would be good too - you need loud and opinionated people.

The BBC are nibbling away at programmes' budgets, so I'd expect Casualty to lose a handful of episodes per series before too long. The new series of Holby City starting this month, has three episodes fewer than the previous series.

Ah ok. Maybe ITV'll force Christine Bleakley on the show so they can jusitify her wages?

People shouldn't be so worried about Casualty. A worse scenario would be for the BBC to wave the white flag against the X Factor and show My Family repeats. The BBC knows it won't beat the X Factor in the ratings, but by providing a decent alternative that attracts 5 million viewers they're not unduly worried. After all, there are 49 million non X Factor fans.