Also it was created as a regular alternative to Emmerdale five nights a week instead of the hotchpotch of quiz and lifestyle shows in the slot before. TOS did start to run Emmerdale close about two years ago, but the gap has widened again due to the soap's revival after falling ratings in the late noughties.

Possibly the highest ever rating for Lorraine, I've never seen it reported as 1.2m before.

It looks like people are going out of their way to avoid Life of Riley. With programmes both sides rating much higher, and nothing starting at the same time over on ITV, it looks bad for the show.
The thin storylines and scripts (tired obvious jokes about people 'poking' each other on Facebook etc) are probably the reason

I did just check that, its first episode last September had 1.10m, so you may well be right!

From the makers of Who Do You Think You Are (which I love) - Long Lost Family currently on ITV1.

My god, they're pouring on the treacle with this one.

But I have a horrible feeling it could be a ratings success.

[It's my mum that's watching it, I'm just in the same room. Trying not to look at the TV too much in case I vomit up my stomach. Good luck to those who are finding their long-lost relatives, but, oh, the tone of the production! Yuck!)

Based on the schedules for the next few weeks, its opposition is easy. Depends how high it launches tonight as to whether it will be recommissioned. Because of the weather, I think 5m tonight will be a good starting point, dipping to 4.5m in future weeks. That should be enough for recommission, but I think a programme like this is quite cheap, so I imagine it'd be recommissioned even if figures were a bit lower than 4.5m.

On that note, anyone know if Davina's other programme, The Biggest Loser has been recommissioned or not?

It's up against Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and Rock & Chips next week - not easy competition there! In theory, it could shed a lot of viewers next week, although I suppose it could possibly rebound the following week.

Having a bit hit in week two not as damaging as with scripted or continous reality formats as this is a show which people can easily watch random episodes of. I doubt it'll do the 4.5-5m D.M.N. was speculating, but 3.5-4.5m wouldn't be a disaster for this type of show - although it needs to pull people into the stories as well as unlike Surprise, Surprise, it isn't just about the reunion moment.

Oh dear, I forgot about that! Disregard that comment then. As each episode is 'self contained' though it should bounce back, of course we're presuming it doesn't flop tonight.

It'll definitely take a knock (can't see R&C denting it much but BFGW will) but unlike a new drama it can bounce back. I think if it can settle at about 4m they'll bring it back, so they'll be hoping for at least that tonight (although it could grow over the series like The Biggest Loser). It's had a great reaction on the DS thread and seems to have gone down well elsewhere too. It was actually a very good, well made programme. It deserves a good rating (4-4.5m+) and I think it stands a chance of getting it. Of course, it could have just bombed out with 2.5m like so many other ITV factual shows (hopefully not though). It's a difficult one to predict.

As for The Biggest Loser, I don't think a decision has been made. At a guess I think it'll be back as the ratings were decent and grew over the series to 5m for the final. It was also cheap to make and there's huge scope for product placement.

In fact, looking at next Thursday at 9pm, it looks like quite a battle:

BBC1 - New: Rock and Chips
BBC2 - New: Sir Bobby Charlton - Football Icon
ITV1 - New: Long Lost Family
C4 - New: Big Fat Royal Gypsy Weddings
C5 - Live: UEFA Europa League

I'm not sure what's going to happen there considering 4 out of the 5 channels have shows which could easily get 3m+, the football documentary on BBC2 could very well get over 3 million. Big Fat Royal Gypsy Weddings should win based on its ratings earlier this year, but the weather and Channel 4's recent slump could go against that. Rock and Chips had a 'slump' of its own at Christmas, will that recover or decrease again?

Going to be interesting, its typical for the networks to put out their big hitters all against each other!

Interesting poll for the wedding a week tomorrow on ITV News:

30% - Excited
70% - Couldn't care less

30% still translates to ~18m about though...

Weather is astonishing for this time of year, really do wonder what the effect on Dr Who is going to be. Some very poor overnights last year and a similar result for a series opener would be a shame.

There is a pretty stark difference between the two questions. I reckon there will be a decent portion of the "couldnt care less" crowd who will tune in even if its against their better judgement.

Reasonable night for ITV - Life of Riley was dented by not starting at an ITV junction seemingly. All shows seemed to be hurt by the weather.

Exactly. Its a bit like people who hate the X Factor but you have heard so much hype about it that they tune in to see who's won. No doubt a high percentage of the "couldnt care less" camp will tune in for some reason.

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Pretty amusing segment on Ten O'Clock Live tonight about the Royal Wedding too, asking the questions why is the BBC bothering to promote an event everyone knows will be on the BBC and why are other channels bothering to boradcast it when no on will watch them.

You're right there, I suspect a good proportion of the country will tune in at some point during the day, as curiosity is bound to get the better of a lot of people, even if they say they 'couldn't care less'.


I think they'd have been better off wondering why they've bothered making and airing Ten O'Clock Live for the last 3 months when no one has been watching it.

I'd have thought it had maxed out in terms of length already. I suspect the 10 week run is a ploy to make sure it finishes before the school holidays begin in July.

NBC Today Show No 1 for 800 weeks

NBC's Today show celebrated 800 straight weeks at No 1 in the US morning show ratings in the week of April 11. All three shows increased their audiences by comparison with the same week last year. Average daily audiences:

1. NBC Today 5.66 m
2. GMA ABC 4.81 m
3. CBS Early Show 2.66 m

c Neilsen

Thanks rzt for some proper numbers. Of course the drop is probably greater in % terms that the drop in ITV Breakfast (6-9.25am) figures

and I'd be interested to know what the Friday late night TOS did last week. Still think that's a ploy by the BBC to try to shore up Evans' underperformance at TOS.

As with the evening news the positions rarely change.

Yet, over the years the anchors have. It seems to a network/format preference rather than who's presenting.

No doubt if Chiles and Bleakley swapped with the BBC Breakfast presenters, the BBC would still comfortably win the slot.

As far as the evening news shows are concerned CBS was hugely dominant in the latter Cronkite years (1970-81) but when he retired and Rather took over went into slow decline with first ABC and then NBC leading the field.News audiences have, of course, changed vastly over those years.Now Katie Couric is leaving CBS the guard will change again.

I genuinely wasn't biting back, honestly wanted to know more.

thanks for the info

Tonight's Fern is described as ''last in the series.'' It didn't seem to be a very long series

Just realised that Attentional, Broadcast and Media Guardian won't be updating with ratings until next Tuesday due to the Easter break. Hopefully we get ratings from DS or other sources later today.

That may be the same next weekend, however, I would be surprised if Broadcast and Media Guardian did not report the Royal Wedding ratings first thing next Saturday.

Good that's one thing I wont have to avoid at 5 anymore. I remember turning over watch and saw "Blind date" - date 3 dogs then pick one and you'll date their owner It was one of the worse daytime TV shows I've saw - worse than that Sharon Osbourne tripe - and that's saying something. I really hope it doesn't get recommissioned.