gees MasterChef has flopped, not that Love Your Garden was any better.

DCI Banks does seem a little low, but I will still get points for it in the ratings prediction game, so its not all bad.

Both BBC1 and ITV1 seem low at 9pm. DCI Banks got off to a disappointing start and was around half a million below what I expected. The 2 parter last year averaged 5.7m, so it's down by just over a million. Some of that will be down to moving to Fridays, but I still expected more than 4.55m. It's going to struggle against SCD in 2 weeks time. I'm not sure it would have done much better on Thursdays, as Law & Order: UK got similar ratings in the Thursday slot. It's also fair to say that Billy Connolly probably wouldn't have got 5.7m in the Friday slot so they probably made the right decision.

Outnumbered was also 0.5m below where I thought it'd be. Below 5m is a disappointing result for it, and isn't really a rating that lives up to the hype it gets. Disappointing for WILTY too, as it is a great show and deserves more. QI did well by BBC2 standards, but could be doing a lot better on BBC1. That's a pretty terrible rating for Celebrity MasterChef, and confirms that the new schedule has been a disaster for it.

Will ITV be calling that Christmas show 'Ant and Dec's Christmas Presents' ? (just guessing as the hosts)

It appears to be a clone of 'Noel's Christmas Presents' from Sky for the past few years (and already confirmed as returning as usual this Christmas).

Wait, wasn't Masterchef really popular last year?

Yeah, it did relatively well for the slot, but it's not a good start for a drama really. As you say, however, dramas generally rate worse on Fridays than Mondays: even New Tricks was about 1-1.5m down on Fridays last year compared to how it did on Mondays this year, but I still thought it'd start with c.5m. Given the way dramas usually drop after episode 1, it could be down to 4m next week, and then in previous years shows up against the SCD launch have fallen -25% so that'll be a possible 3m for that episode and then it'll struggle to recover much after that. If it could average 4m+ in the overnights for the whole series (about 5m in the officials), then maybe they'd bring it back for another series in that slot, but I can't see it staying at that level given the different factors and competition it's gonna face soon.

I don't think, although others will possibly disagree, it is fair to compare it to its last series, but instead compare it to the last drama series to air on ITV on Friday's, and for that you've got to go back to Trial and Retribution I think in early 2009, which had an average of 5.33m (22.6%). With that in mind, I don't think DCI Banks did too badly considering it is the first time drama has been in that slot for nearly 3 years. If it drops though next week, that will be a cause for concern.

Yeah I believe so. But apparently the scheduling is terrible this year. I haven't been keeping track but I think its been aired in the daytime which seems like a very strange decision indeed.

I think if word gets out that BB isn't too bad this time, then audiences shall move closer to 2 million. I'm not a huge lover of the civilian version as Channel 4 ruined it in the last four years it was on, but it is event television with good demos.

A real mixed bag last night but definitely something for each of the big 5 to smile about. Maybe ITV were expecting slightly more for DCI Banks but compared to ITV's recent average in that slot it performed very well, whether it will be enough at that level for a big drama I'm not sure but it's providing a strong alternative. Elsewhere Million Pound Drop did well to edge out BB but I wonder if maybe BB was ahead between 9pm and 10pm when they were actually head-to-head? Sounds like it was quite a major episode of MPD as well with some big wins. QI is rating really well this series and appears to have survived the move back to BBC Two very well. BBC One meanwhile will be pleased with how the 9pm comedies went, but it has to be said they have damaged the Celebrity MasterChef badly going by that first primetime rating for it this run. No idea why they thought this scheduling would work. I could do a YoY comparison but it really wouldn't be pretty.

The BBC2 really should have made more of their Diamond League rights considering the BBC lost the World Champs. Yes, a few of the early events in Asia and America are probably best kept to the red button as their status and field really doesn't justify them being in the top tier of events anyway, but all of the European events, generally Thursday or Friday from 7-9pm, fit comfortably into the BBC2 schedules and rate pretty decently. So many just seem to be lost either on BBC3 or just on the red button (and those aren't always on Freeview).

I see Comedy Showcase and Comedy Lab on E4 are dropped from next week - weren't they supposed to be six episodes each? I think C4 need to take a bit of a risk now with sitcoms and get them on to screen, perhaps dropping the Showcase strand altogether and just having a couple of pilots as part of Comedy Lab if necessary.

How are the Countdown ratings since its return?

The news that they have decided to axe their best host since Richard Whiteley is going to add even more uncertainty and turmoil that the show does not need.

Jeff Stelling has been brilliant at the helm and after deciding he could not carry on because of extra commitments at Sky reportedly changed his mind, said he would miss the show and asked to stay but was supposedly let go anyway after 'messing them around'.

Now the talk is of an unknown taking over and possibly a woman. Very risky to introduce more change to the show that has had far too much in recent years. Especially as Jeff has gone down so well with viewers.

So I was wondering if Channel 4 have some reason to want to justify its axing via falling ratings.

I'm surprised Channel 4 have axed Jeff Stelling from Countdown, surely one of the greatest broadcasters on UK television. If the ratings are low, Jeff is certainly not to blame and maybe it would just be best to just pull the plug and put the show out of its misery.

The report is they had so many requests for the job and they felt he had messed them about by quitting then deciding not to do so.

Someone has also posted that they auditioned for the show and were told if invited it would be in the post Jeff era.

But - yes - he fits the show so perfectly I think it looks an odd decision.

I really rate him, especially as a sports presenter. He could have a big career on mainstream TV if he wanted IMO - unfortunately (or not, depending on how you look at it) he looks 100% committed to Sky, so anything else he does would have to fit in with his (ever growing) duties over there and you can understand why he thought he might have to drop Countdown. When he realised he could fit both into his schedule, I fully expected him to be welcomed back with open arms because he suits the show really well. Perhaps Channel 4 didn't like being second best, I really don't know. It's sad that a genuinely good word and numbers game like Countdown can't find an audience in 2011, but it maybe says more about the audience needs today compared to 30 odd years ago when it launched than it does about Jeff's popularity, and I can't see another relaunch helping matters.

Has the bubble burst on Celebrity Masterchef? I know fans (and others) will blame the scheduling but it seems very strange to me that the audience hasn't even found the primetime airings however weirdly they might be structured. It surely should have performed better last night? Maybe the BBC were right to put it in daytime although they probably should have put a little bit of promotional weight behind that move. Of course that number does not bode well for tonight's airing could be a rough night for BBC1 tonight.

Not sure if the situation in Scotland is a bit different but we had some Fresher's weeks from week beginning 5th September and some last week as Dancc suggested. I doubt it will have had much impact though.

Underwhelming start for Banks. I'm not sure if it's something ITV have great enthusiasm for, or if it's a sweetener to keep Stephen Tompkinson with Wild at Heart.

Bit disappointing for Outnumbered, but I suspect Have I Got News For You won't rate any better when it takes over the slot next month. Strictly Come Dancing will, though.

Big Brother bouncing back, too.

Not bad for Outnumbered, but what is your predictions for Miranda when that returns for the 3rd series, i think it could get 6million. it got 4million on bbc2!

Could BB drop below 1m tonight?

I reckon it will be close.

As sexist as it might be Countdown presented by two women just wouldn't feel right.

Jay Hunt is stupid if she axes Jeff, although it seems all sides were a bit hasty in announcing his departure almost as soon as he resigned himself, given he was clearly wishing to stay if he could. Yes, it deserves to rate better, but Jeff is easily the best host since Whiteley and it's more down to scheduling than Jeff and Rachel that ratings aren't what they once were.

I do wish when C4 increased Deal to an hour they'd have moved it to 4.30pm, with Countdown at 3.45pm and then Coach Trip and Come Dine with Me alternating at 5.30pm - I think that would have benefitted all shows really.

Yeah, Miranda is showing all the signs of getting 5/6m when the new episodes air on BBC1 next year. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the repeat of the Christmas episode which they'll show later this year manages 5m+ if it's given a good lead-in.

Its almost as if everyone was out last night?


Dead cat?

Bingo night.

It doesn't get any hype though really, other than those who appreciate its humour saying so (which doesn't count as hype in the accepted sense of the word)

And the relief at Channel 5 HQ is palpable - a return to decent ratings for Big Brother after a shaky week. Tonight will be key considering it stabilised at that level for the rest of the week. Depending how long it goes on for, the boxing could help or hinder. Bit On The Side performed very well considering it was on until past minight and The Bachelor held up on previus figures despite the week's break. The Gadget Show seems to always struggle to break the 1m mark in that slot.

The Million Pound Drop saw a boost last night; possibly the talk of big winners seeing casual viewers tune in as the show went on. Comedy Showcase did ok in the late night slot and Come Dine With Me held up despite being against the soaps. They need to be careful with it; it still has the potential to be a good show for them if handled right.

Can anyone tell me how Celebrity Masterchef is being scheduled? Which episode is that - is that the first and they're airing it at daytime and then once a week on Friday's? That's not a great rating for it really. Outnumbered did pretty well at 9pm but Would I Lie To You saw a dip compared to last week. Come Fly With Me repeated well after the news.

A bit of a disappointing rating for DCI Banks on a night where four channels were quite competitive. It will dip further through natural loss and increased competition, and that may be that for the adaption. Love Your Garden did well at 8pm, maybe benefiting from the lack of Gardener's World opposition.

QI performed well yet again at 10pm for BBC Two though it is down on last week; possibly affected by the smaller cross-over lead in from BBC One. Digging for Britain performed reasonably at 9pm and the Athletics put in a decent performance in the 7pm slot - it was very strange to see the athletes run clockwise around the track!