Yeah me too. According to reports he's currently on a "golden handcuffs" deal with the BBC which runs out in January 2011. McIntyre's an interesting choice - I think he'll go down well.


Agreed. I would've preferred someone like Paul O'Grady to get a role.

Wild speculation on my part but is it plausible O'Grady could be the new presenter? Ant and Dec might be busy with other projects such as the rumoured jungle-based summer series with civilians instead of celebs.

Ant & Dec are still presenting it, according to the DS article.

Edit: ITV confirms in their press release that Simon Cowell will return as a judge for the live stages.

Be interested to see how McIntyre does. In my opinion, he's a cracking stand-up, but I've never been particularly convinced with him in other formats - he never looks totally comfortable even on panel shows.

If he knows what he's good at (and I suggest he does), then I think he'll still stick with the BBC for the stand-up shows, which they have down to a fine art now.

So are we to assume he's turned down another "golden handcuffs" deal?

By the way, for anyone interested - the following is a list of 'top Facebook UK status trends' for 2010, shows how in one case popularity does not equal ratings:

1) World Cup
2) Wagner (The X Factor)
3) Cher (The X Factor)
4) Rooney
5) One Direction (The X Factor)
6) British soldiers
7) David Cameron
8) John James (Big Brother)
9) Tinie Tempah
10) Celebrity Juice

I just find him a bit smug. I wonder how he will be able to relate to people without resorting to his stand up persona.

Mcintyre was a judge on Lets Dance for Comic Relief/Sport Relief

Absolutely. He'll be great dealing with the comedy acts. But how will he react to the 'Susan Boyle' moments - you've got to be able to (at least convincingly fake) real compassion and support.

--

And people say its been a 'difficult year' for BBC Talent; but in reality, how much weaker are they at the end of it?

Graham Norton's slotted into Friday Nights like a glove and is outrating what Ross ended with (and doing so with a better show, IMO). The One Show has shown no ill-effects of losing Chiles and Bleakely and is still coasting along just fine. Dara O'Brien replaced Chiles on 'You're Fired without me noticing. The only place I've missed him is on MOTD2 - and thats not going to change the ratings for football highlights.

All in all, a lot of expensive talent disposed of - and very few ill effects.

Delighted that Piers is gone but hate that the annoying Amanda Holden will remain. She'd have been the first one I got rid of.

so what i don't understand is Cowell returning or not. I think it stupid that he would be missing the auditions just to launch the us x factor. Am i the only one that hopes that show flops.

The live finals are where it gets interesting. The travelling to auditions & sitting through loads of awful acts has got to get tiring


No there is Robbie & Charnham too!

Never in a million years did I think Michael McIntyre would be a judge! I though Paul O'Grady would be guaranteed a role but there you go. I'm really happy because I think he's excellent but he does grate on a lot of people... but then so do Piers and Amanda but that never stopped people watching!

It's true that this is the ratings thread but TV is about demographics as well.

In fact the BBC should be about demographics more than it is about ratings if it wishes to survive.


The G Norton Show demographic is slap-bang in the middle of the typical BBC1 viewer, and that's a problem.

Demographic breakdown please

Michael McIntyre is a fascinating choice and I think probably quite a good one. Certainly unexpected, could prove to be a masterstroke.

This thread is so funny anyone on BBC is totally bashed until they go to ITV, McIntyre is constantly bashed for being too middle class, smug etc, and now it's a stroke of genius by Cowell, hilarious!

That's true. Although they have lost many high profile names in the past year (hence my difficult year comment) they have managed to come out of it relatively unscathed from a ratings perspective at least. And for all the money spent by ITV, they don't appear to be any stronger so far. But it could have an incremental impact with more and more talent jumping ship, in the process bolstering ITV's entertainment credentials and making the BBC's appear weaker.

It's sad to see talent so quick to defect. It's no different I suppose to all these Premier League footballers going from club to club for the best money deal. There's just no loyalty in broadcasting these days.

Very true
I hope that now he's going to ITV the BBC will stop showing those stand up shows because he's not even funny
and how on earth Hasselhoff knows anything about talent is beyond me actually saying that neither does simon cowell

Exactly, like I say, Ant and Dec + money to pay for people you have heard of = a hit show.

With Sky we got the budget version hinting at what an interesting idea this really was.

Bit like how they handled Doc Martin,

I don't think McInytre has ever been bashed in those terms in this thread.

The only negative comments surrounding him here have generally been about poor scheduling of his shows (BBC1 airing umpteen new episodes and repeats of varying length on varying days practically all year round)

A universally good rating day for ITV yesterday

Daybreak got a million, the highest it's been since launch (Adrian and Christine were hosting by the way), and Lorraine is particularly high as well, both with 23% shares.

Coronation Street continues to have massive ratings following last week's specials and Emmerdale is massively up on usual as well. People were suggesting the show's demise when it was under 6m in the summer.

5 and a half million for The Savoy. Who would have predicted that? It shows that so called 'cheap' factual programmes do have their place.

Countrywise Kitchen is rating well in the EastEnders slot and ITV News at Ten is strong as well.

what words are being put in my mouth?

If we are talking about the rubbish that is BGT, then yes of course I want to see such trash off my TV screen.

If its "Im a civillian get me out of here" then I want to see that flop as well.

Just had a Digiguide update, strange that The Daily Show is still MIA, normally it starts early in Jan, I do hope More 4 hasnt axed it.

Hasselhoff and McIntyre are great choices. Big risk for Michael, comedians don't tend to suit these gigs - see Ellen on Idol - she was touted as unmissable, but in reality she struggled to judge them. Although, she probably would have been great at auditions and that's where I think McIntyre will be at his best.

Ah - pesky grammar!


McIntyre is far too BBC to work on a show which is very much ITV - Paul O'Grady would have been far better. Hasselhoff no surprise and was very watchable on America's Got Talent - but I do wonder if Simon Cowell bringing himself back in for the live shows might have put off bigger names to replace him, not wanting to be upstaged by his return come the live shows.

That is odd. Last year it was back on January 4th.