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In Televisions Greatest Hits its listed as 26.6 million for 25/12/87 and its the biggest C/S audience post 1977 (when the change from "homes" to millions took place) that I can find. nothing that much happened as I remember but the fade out was in the Rovers with a singing accompanyment-the end of an icon. Definitely the end because Jean Alexander resisted all attempts to get her to return.
That audience must be a mistake or combined with an omnibus as its more than OFAH in 1996.

Once again according to TGH, that audience of C/S represented the only week that year that Eastenders was not number one in the charts.

I've just checked on BARB, and it was 26.65m for Christmas Day 1987, but, as you say, it includes a repeat on December 27th, which is surprising because I didn't realise they repeated it in those days. I thought the omnibus started in 1989.

http://www.barb.co.uk/facts/since198...987&view=top10

The 1989 chart is here:

http://www.barb.co.uk/facts/since198...989&view=top10

And, for some reason, BARB excluded the EastEnders and Coronation St omnibuses that year, but still included the Neighbours repeats.

Didn't the first series of I'm A Celebrity... air in May? They'll probably use Britain's Got Talent auditions as a lead in for launch night and hope it can hold up. Big Brother in the jungle, I can see it doing ok but hitting the Celebrity version as a result. I agree, ITV need to try out new things. Then again, I find it funny ITV are converting a celebrity format into a non-celebrity one instead of the other way round.

I'm going to have to start listening to Christmas music if the Christmas TV debate continues. We all know BBC1 will thrash ITV1 on the day, but still it's the most talked about day of the year.

As for the football question - the Championship match will beat the FA Cup match with probably a skew of at least 2:1 to BBC1.

To last night, and BBC1 and ITV1 had good nights though it's a bit worrying for ITV1 that TV Burp couldn't hit 5m before the 5 minute bounce preceding The X Factor. I don't think this series has been very good at all so I'm not surprised on the dip - maybe a resurgent Strictly is taking viewers away.

Thanks for that. I guess its because the EE omnibus always was the more high profile and settled -the C/S seemed to stop and start depending on the whims of various regional ITV companies iirc.

It is amazing how well the omnibuses rated in those days.

I see the 2009 BARB chart is up now:

http://www.barb.co.uk/facts/since198...009&view=top10

I think it took quite a while to appear.

Cheers - though the days of the Christmas TV guides being something to look forward too are long gone unfortunately. It's gone from being a period where something special was on virtually nightly to basically just being the day itself.

Yes-i think with that 30 million Eastenders Den and Angie episode the Omnibus was about 10 million-and there is another overall 28 million for EE on that BARB 1987 chart-unbelievable to think so much of the nation could be gripped by the soaps in comparison to today.

I miss the excitement of buying a TV mag and seeing the Christmas schedules for the first time.

Then again, maybe I'm just sad!

Amazing also to look back at the rise of X Factor given that SCD was ahead for several years with XF not even appearing on some of the year end top tens. I wonder how much the appearance of BGT lead to a resurgence in XF-its clearly carrying the interest now. Someone looking back in 50 years time will no doubt wonder what on earth occured to push XF so high.

I dont think you are-its still possible to avoid alot of the first reports of schedules in the tabloids if you are careful-till the daddy appears-ie the RT! Still part of Christmas.

And when people look back on the 2010 chart, they'll wonder why The X Factor has overtaken Talent since last year.

I wonder what will top the 2010 chart. I'm guessing it has to be one of the following: EastEnders Live, Coronation St Live or X Factor Final Results.

I can't see anything else managing it.

I might try and hold off until it goes on sale this year. Not sure I'll resist looking online first, though .

Rose-tinted memory. People have been complaining about "this year's Christmas TV being rubbsh" ever since Christmas TV was invented. There's a Steptoe And Son Christmas special from 1973 (or 1974 - can't remember which) when Harold complains about the same old rubbish being on every year. That's 1973, the supposed "Golden Age Of Television"!(sneer)


I notice how much lower BGT's official highest audience is this year against last. Can someone explain how come BGT is rated 13.50m in the Top 20 Biggest Audience in 2010 So Far when the biggest audience I see for it in the BARB top 30's is 12.83.

Yes I can. Just realised as I was typing this that the difference between the figures is ITV1 HD. But which figure will BARB put in their Top 10 Highest Rated Programmes of 2010 list?

You won't be able to read this thread for a fortnight beforehand either.

The Sunday repeat is very popular, in the most recent offficials both ITV1 screenings are in the Top 30, 5.33m and 3.14m.

Then you can add on ITV1 HD figures and the ITV2/ITV2 HD repeats.

Although the excitement has now gone as apart from the bank holidays it's pretty much business as usual - and indeed the soaps will probably be out of their regular slots on Christmas Day itself.

A decade or so they'd usually be something of note most days over the fortnight.


That's a fair point, but of course television has changed too - so a big movie premiere or "celebrity special" over the festive period isn't the big deal it might have been a decade and more ago.

XF pulled a masterstroke tonight by saving a controversial contestant over a better singer (albeit a dispensable one who was never going to win). That should get the papers talking - add to that a big promo for Take That's performance.

I can see it doing well next weekend.

I think the forum is going to break!

I'm not sure it will have the same kind of impact as last year, tbh. Lucie, while mediocre, was a bit of a favourite last year which Treyc certainly isn't.

No it won't but it's the closest they're gonna get this year! Might as well milk it...

that might explain why the forum is running slow for me then

Don't know about masterstroke but it was blindingly obvious that they would keep the contestant generating the most press over the better singer. Didn't make it any less frustrating when it happened, but you just knew what was coming.

With 'judge' Cheryl abstaining from the vote and the sing off ignored, the "result" show was even more pointless than usual this week.

Yawn.

Don't forget the people who watched it through the windows of Dixons and Currys.

You're new here but I like you already!

Did you watch it on 20 screens then? That'll help the ratings