Guess there's no pleasing everyone, I really like the Christmas day schedule,and can only spot one 9pm filler I'm assuming New Tricks is a repeat? Still don't get the drama, sorry!
Can't wait for Toast, Come fly with me, Royle Family and Upstairs Downstairs.

BBC1 - http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6003/bbcschedule.png
ITV1 - http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8287/itv.png

ITV does win the award though for unnecessary, silly soap move on Wednesday 23rd.

However, I can see why they've done it as it gives a weak 8pm hour a leg up. I say weak, the programme may turn out to be good, but if you say the name in public, you'd probably get a "Who?" shouted back at you.

Also:

New Original Dramas and Comedies account for...
BBC1 - 10 hours 50 minutes
ITV1 - 9 hours 15 minutes

BBC1
- 5 x 1 hour (My Family, Doctor Who, Royle Family, Rock and Chips, Accidental Farmer)
- 3 x 1 hour (Upstairs, Downstairs)
- 1 x 30 minutes (Come Fly With Me)
- 1 x 90 minutes (Toast)
- 1 x 50 minutes (The One Ronnie)

ITV1
- 2 x 2 hours (Marple)
- 2 x 2 hours (Come Rain Come Shine, Poirot)
- 1 x 75 minutes (Benidorm)

Looks shite across all the channels...

I'm expecting some BIG ratings tonight. The snow where I live is terrible. Even got sent home from work...which is always a bonus!

November: BBC1 & ITV1 Weeknight 9pm Slot Averages
Now that we're into December, here is the 9pm weeknight slot average for BBC1 and ITV1 during November (all the following numbers and shares include HD):

BBC1- 5.3m... Nov '09: 4.7m, '08: 4.8m, '07: 5.3m, '06: 4.2m
ITV1- 6.4m... Nov '09: 6.9m, '08: 6.1m, '07: 5.6m, '06: 6.4m

Predictably ITV1 won in the 9pm weeknight slot averages last month due to IAC. ITV1 were down 0.5m compared to last year, probably due to poor performances from Monte Carlo or Bust and no stripped drama like last year (Collision). But it was still one of their strongest Novembers by this definition in the last 4 years.

BBC1 also had a strong November, basically their best since at least 2005 in terms of the 9pm slot. Having New Tricks and The Apprentice scheduled in Autumn this year has certainly helped prop up their averages compared to recent years, plus Turn Back Time has done well in a slot which they struggled in at the same time last year (Paradox flopping etc).

November Primetime Shares
In November, BBC1 had an average primetime share (19.00-23.00) of 22.2% while ITV1 had 27.1%.

BBC1 was down from last November's 22.6% but 22.2% is certainly respectable. That's a very strong share for ITV1, up from last November's 27.0% which itself was strong.

Importantly, there's been changes in the Overall 2010 Primetime Share average, with ITV1 moving ahead of BBC1 with 21.8% to BBC1's 21.7%. It's too close to say who'll win come the end of year in terms of this definition of primetime. It depends on how successful BBC1's Xmas period will be.

I should note that other sources will have other definitions of primetime - there's the 18:00-22:30 definition for which BBC1 is clearly ahead and there's the 19:00-22:30 for which ITV1 is ahead (by even more of a margin than above).

Is this standard or have ITV closed the gap just a little this year/the BBC narrowed it themselves?

Very handy for Corrie as it's a big episode.

I'll have to take your word for that as I try and avoid spoilers as much as possible these days. But yeah Corrie should do well tonight.

Emmerdale low? What are you basing this on? It's their highest Tuesday overnight rating since 19th January this year and also the 7.8m figure doesn't include HD so will be more like 8m. Not low by any means.

Meant to say lower than last night. I just couldn't type properly because of the Christmas schedules debacle.

Hmmm...OK, I believe you!

To be fair I did say that underneath, you cut it out of the quote though. Don't worry, I wasn't attacking your blesséd Emmerdale I think it's doing well of late.

Hmmm, you said you couldn't function, so if true, you should probs wait until you can!

Also I just wanted to get the facts over properly. Nothing to do with me been a fan or not!

There's also another 2 hours for BBC One with The Nativity (4x30mins)

And there'd be even more if they decided to air Just William at a vaguely sensible peaktime / early evening slot rather than about 12.30...

The gap does look closer than you'd expect though. It's sitcoms the BBC is lacking in. They rely very heavily on the panel show formats, sadly. Speaking of sitcoms, isn't it utter madness that the most successful one of 2010 (Outnumbered) doesn't have a Christmas special this year?


I presume the BBC One press release thing posted a few days ago (talking about the increase in primetime share this year) used the 18:00-22:30 definition?

Anyway, pretty impressive November for both channels really. Obviously, IAC just has a huge effect for ITV and it looks like they could take the other two definitions of prime now. I think all the extra Corrie at the start of the month should help weigh up the BBC wins over the main Christmas days.

Let me fill in some of those gaps for you on NYE (BBC):

15:30 The Sound of Music
18:20 BBC News
18:45 Regional News
18:55 Weather
19:00 Celebrity Mastermind
19:30 A Question of Sport
...
22:15 BBC News
22:35 Weather
22:40 The Graham Norton New Year's Eve Show (catchy name)

Is there an EastEnders episode on New Year's Day? Also is Primeval scheduled for NYD on ITV1 ?

Apologies, I meant NYE. Post amended, extra info added.

Nothing for NYD yet.

Highest Coronation Street Rating since 2000
2000 - 19.06m (3rd January)
2001 - 16.70m (8th January)*
2002 - 15.01m (17th November)
2003 - 19.43m (24th February)
2004 - 16.33m (16th February)
2005 - 14.36m (21st February)
2006 - 12.60m (13th March)
2007 - 13.08m (15th January)
2008 - 13.02m (18th January)
2009 - 11.46m (2nd February)
2010 - 12.54m *so far

* note - an edition in May is higher, but this is because it was repeated in primetime on the Friday

I think the highest episode since 2005 is do-able, and would probably require an overnight rating of ~13.5m. I think ITV would be disappointed if they couldn't achieve that given the build-up to it.

2004's rating of 16.33m may be pushing things a tad, even if EastEnders did beat that marginally earlier this year. Very obviously it won't become the highest since before 2003, seeing as I don't think any soap in this day and age will achieve that number again.

We might be in for a shock, the nation may be gripped by Corrie fever - or it'll just do considerably better than usual (11-13m) but not anything incredible.

Weather may help it of course. Momentum/word of mouth may whip up a frenzy from the Monday to the live episode - so you never know, it could top EastEnders.

It's a winner, but it's safe, predictable and boring.

The BBC have an opportunity to be bold and innovative with their scheduling but fail.

Christmas Day has got into a Who > Strictly > EE > Royle rut and Boxing Day is now just like any other Sunday.

Large amounts of snow has been dumped on where I am today (in Yorkshire), expect large ratings for Corrie tonight.

I don't know what the weather is like in Corrie's Granadaland heartland though.

I'm a Celeb and The Apprentice may hit each other though resulting in lower ratings that usual (it's the first and only time these two shows have clashed this year)

We have snow in Manchester. Don't think it's quite as bad as other parts of he country but probably enough to keep people indoors tonight.

Awful snow where I am (near Buxton), got sent home early from college which is always a good thing

Should be some good ratings tonight.

Given what we have said about Corries viewers being all "old nothern women" EE have made a intersting choice, of which EE is a Corrie fan, the old lonely woman, suggsting that Corrie is for older women in need of company.

Yeah, Jay Hunt's aversion to situation comedy has bitten BBC One on the bum this Christmas: if you show very little situation comedy over the course of a year, you're left with very few potential Christmas sitcom specials.

I agree with those who are disappointed with aspects of BBC One's Christmas schedule this year, but I'd lay a lot of the blame at Jay Hunt's door. She always commissioned heavily in her favourite genres, such as light factual, but commissioned very sparingly when it came to situation comedy.

BBC One's comedy output hours are low, and would be lower still were it not for bolstering from tired comedy panel shows such as HIGNFY and patchy stand-up shows such as Apollo and Comedy Roadshow.