To be fair to ITV, they don't do it anywhere near as often as commercial broadcasters normally do. In Australia, the likes of Channel Seven and Channel Ten are awful for splitting shows up into smaller chunks in order to generate bigger "headline" figures.

I was very surprised when ITV opted not to split during the World Cup. It was an odd thing to do from their point-of-view but there you go.

Independent producers are apparently pitching new soaps to replace Hollyoaks in the 18:30 slot, but Channel 4 says Hollyoaks is currently safe from the axe:

Source: Guardian

A new soap, especially one geared towards younger audiences, has absolutely no chance of taking off nowadays. Hollyoaks' popularity might have waned but no like-for-like replacement will fair any better.

If they pull the plug next year, they are better off putting Come Dine With Me there or an extra episode of The Simpsons. That would save money as well as improve ratings.

Digiguide update and Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May is as expected :

BBC One :

9pm Exile

ITV1

9pm Case Sensitive

Exile playing over Sun / Mon / Tues @ 9pm
Case Sensitive over Mon / Tues @ 9pm.

Exile starts during 2nd hour of Vera, 9pm Sunday.

"business as usual" until next year, which is when the contract runs out, just like what happened with Brookside. Things are looking bad for Hollyoaks now..

my offical line on new soaps has not changed for many years, they simply isnt demand for them.

Unlike the US our current soaps continue to thrive, but a new soap just isnt wanted. The BBC has been lucky to get Waterloo Road & Doctors off the ground.

There is no market for a new soap.

Glad someone else picked up on that. I would agree that the wording is ominous sounding.

To me I understand the Hollyoaks article to mean that they are looking for replacements for the 6.30pm slot, but until they a suitable one Hollyoaks will remain in that slot. They obviously want to move Hollyoaks, but possibly keep it on E4?

Not surprising when the numerous revamps have all failed to improve ratings and the show has been in a state since Kirkwood left.

It's a shame to see two new dramas clashing against each other like that but I guess it might be too late in the day for the broadcasters to suddenly delay either one of those by a few weeks.

Square_eyes - does it say what BBC1 are showing at 9pm on Thursday 5th May? Thanks in advance.

Something called 'Inside the Human Body'

9pm on the Wednesday it's Panorama against Man Utd Champs League semi-final.

And if that wasn't enough drama for the May bank holiday, Channel 4 are showing the new Dambusters drama across 2 hours 8-10pm.

Looks like a busy May Day to say the least. How will PVRs across the land cope?

Cheers. From doing a quick Google search, it sounds like it'll be a few episodes of this and not just a one-off. Not sure how many episodes exactly though.

A couple more things please - what time is SYTYCD scheduled for (is it 7-8.15pm?) and are the QI repeats continuing on Fridays?

ITV adding to the confusion for the Royal Wedding then! There'll be all sorts of stats floating around on that day - the newspapers will just pick the ones that suit their 'line'. I'll just wait till we get some decent averages and peaks compiled by the regulars here. This thread is by far the most useful ratings source on the web, anyway!

There's an episode of QI on the Bank Holiday Monday at 8:30pm. Outnumbered (R) takes the post-HIGNFY slot on the Friday.

Doctor Who is another 6pm start followed by SYTYCD at 6:45pm. At least they are consistent.

Thanks a lot! I really don't understand why they're not pairing HIGNFY up with some new sitcom episodes. They have stuff in the can such as My Family and Meet The Doyles which could air at 9.30pm. I thought they'd only be airing QI repeats for 3 weeks to fill the gap before the Royal Wedding day, and then launch some new stuff after that.

There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding the duration of that Doctor Who episode as the BBC Press Office are saying it's one hour. But it looks like they'll be sticking with the previous week's formula of using DW as a "gateway" for the rest of the schedule.

Interesting BBC Two schedule for 6th May. Looks like there will be regular updates on the local elections / AV referendum through the day. Vote 2011 airs 12pm, 2pm and 5pm in hourly instalments.

There are also two editions of Newsnight on that day. One to cover the 7/7 enquiry at 7pm, and then the regular edition at 10:30pm.

Good shares for EastEnders.

Was Robson Green in it?


Nice tweed jacket and skirt, Robbie.

Or was that Barbara Woodhouse?

I'm surprised BBC1 are starting Exile on the Sunday halfway through Vera. I'd have thought they'd have started it on Monday so at least it'd be starting at the same time as ITV's drama. Doctor Who's scheduling remains pathetic. Piers Morgan's guest that night is Ann Widdecombe so he should do well.

Does anyone know what are Channel 4 airing on the Wednesday at 9pm? Thanks.

Another Time Team Special is scheduled.

Thanks. I had thought that Gordon's Great Escape would air then so it would end before BGT week, but maybe it'll go on Thursdays.

brilliant ratings for EastEnders!
High share and good BBC3 repeat too.

I expect tonights to be lower then last nights though
with the warmish evening (here anyway),Easter holidays and the fact there's been no hype for it affecting it

No, but he's joining Waterloo Road in the new series in 3 weeks time on a permanent basis. I'd be worried

No hype? Pffft! There's an hour-long preview show on BBC One at the moment with Shane Richie.

have One Show viewers not suffered enough, that they now have to indure Shane Richie?

I wouldn't be surprised if Hollyoaks stays on until the end of its contract, but is axed from the 6:30pm slot at the end of August. I've deliberately said the end of August so a new soap can fill the gap at the beginning of September just in time for when the teens have gone back to school. If it was me doing the schedules, I'd have (as an example of a schedule just putting Channel 4's most popular programmes in there):

18:30 - new soap
19:00 - Channel 4 News
19:50 - The Million Pound Drop Live
21:00 - My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
22:00 - Hollyoaks
22:30 - Stand Up for the Week

The problem with a new soap however is that it could bomb from launch. The last two attempts at teatime soaps in the UK, Crossroads and Night and Day both were axed within three years (although in the first case, the producer killed it off with a disastrous relaunch V2).

It'd take a brave woman to kick Hollyoaks out of the slot, however its ratings are showing no sign of improving. Has anyone got a year-on-year average or anything to hand to see whether ratings have been declining or whether its just press talk?

I don't think moving it to 10pm would be moving it to the graveyard, but realistically that won't happen as they would need to find a slot for shows like Million Pound Drop Live and Shameless. Shameless as 10:30pm would not work either.