Well, I watched the last hour of it in the end, even though I promised myself I wouldn't.

And it was certainly a compelling, thrilling, absorbing contest with a fully deserved winner. I enjoyed every twist and turn, and wished I'd sat through the whole 4 hours of it now!














Yep, a cracking snooker final all told....

Have you got a source for that? ITV Press Centre still says it's an ITV Studios production: http://www.itv.com/presscentre/piers...n/default.html

Edit: Just checked, it still says ITV Studios in the end credits.

Seems its a co-production. Syco TV got a credit for the first time this series.

See 9.14 here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWhQcvRneXc

Quite. The Big Brother finals used to accumulate 7-8m votes on their own too. Phone voting has fallen very dramatically in the past couple of years - largely thanks to the fixing scandals, I imagine. People are wiser to manipulation these days, and the novelty of 'interactive' TV has all but worn off.

Had the fortune to be out tonight, so missed the XF final - but it sounds like they missed out on big-name guests they might have been angling for. Having Take That (twice) smacks of needing someone to fill in at relatively short notice. I don't expect it'll matter in the ratings - people seem to stick with it, regardless of how padded it might be. So much time of that show is simply taken with Dermot trying to get a word in edgeways amid the screaming fans, throwing to commercials, and introducing the judges and acts before every result (uber-dramatically). But it never seems to do any damage.

How odd- for the Kelly Osbourne one, which aired at a later date, it said just ITV Studios without the Syco bit.

Does anyone know what it said at the end of tonight's episode? Maybe it was a co-production with Syco for just the Cheryl Cole episode?

talking of, is ITV likely to air his US show? dare I say it might bring some order to ITV 2.

Strange. I'm sure I read on here it was going to be produced by Simon now, then that appeared, so I just assumed it was permanent thing.

Well, looking in the XF forum, it seems that a number of people will need therapy now that they wont get their weekly fix. Amazing how people get involved to that degree and is way beyond my understanding.

Take That is confusing-booked for Strictly and XF-and wasnt Robbie also on XF last night. Four appearences over the weekend

the Us X Factor show will be on ITV 2. Crap show on a crap channel. I hope the show flops in the US.

sorry I meant the CNN Peirs Morgan show

I was waiting for All Star Family Fortunes to come on.


Who?

I think the BBC should introduce an interactive element to the RVP this year, offering viewers a chance to jog their memories and see if they can recall who the BGT winners are before we get to their prize-winning guest spot. They could flash a few clues up, or gradually fill in the letters (eg, "S--L---U-D") until the penny drops.

(Although personally, I'd prefer it if the Beeb just cut them out completely on the grounds that George Dixon has only given them a 2 hour slot and nobody has the faintest idea who they are - that would be hilarious! )

come to think of it I cant remeber who won BGT, was it a woman walking a dog over a ramp?

Spellbound a gymnastics group won BGT Last year

they should do a Birtians Pets Got Talent, a one off episode sponsored by a pet shop chain, where Simon is joined by some animal experts as judges.

Once product placement kicks in, the price can be from the sponsor etc etc

Off to bed now - busy day for me tomorrow, and I may struggle to get to a PC.

Sleep well ITVistas and TXF fanboys - I know this must be like Christmas Eve for you, and you just can't wait to see what's been left in your stockings at 9.40am tomorrow...

Unlikely. It will be shown live on CNN International I'd imagine in the early hours of the morning.

Haha.

Never stop posting Robbie, this place would be duller without you!

As it was the Cheryl Cole interview, maybe Syco insisted on some recognition? Something within Cheryl's contract saying that she's the intellectual right of Syco while she's judging on The X Factor or something?

Tonight was Syco TV, ITV Studios and Ferret Productions (whatever the hell that is).

The Executive Producers were Jeremy Phillips (Exec Producer, ITVS) and Nigel Hall (Director of Television, Syco TV).

isnt it like Boxing Day for TXF fanboys? the final being like Christmas Day?

I'm guessing Ferret Productions is Elton John's production company although I thought that was Rocket Pictures.

I wonder how a Kylie special would do? They've done Dannii but Kylie is more appealing to viewers.

It's 9.30 AM ..................

Overnight

X Factor 17.2 (peak 18.4) inc HD

SCD 11.6 (Peak 12.1)

Piers Morgan 5.7

Thanks.

Banner says 19.4m peak?

That will be the 5 minute peak presumably?