The two finalists tonight are pretty uninspiring, I am from near Liverpool so naturally I want Marcus to win, but he is hardly Justin Timberlake - definitely more Mika - but don't see him selling cds/ filling arenas. The same with Little Mix - dire name for a start, even In The Mix would be an improvement.

I have gone 12.2m tonight, the peak may well be 15m, but the 2 hour show could struggle tonight to get near a 13 million average.

Why send me a PM when i can't reply as you don't accept?. If you read my post i am alluding to the usual members in this thread who point score against each other. You've taken what i said out of context, i'm sorry i should have worded it better.

How can you say that Sam? I would suggest it's impossible to say at this stage.

It all depends what happens over the course of the next 6 months. Presumably the changes will be focussed mainly around the judging panel. I'd expect two, maybe three, high profile departures. And then it all depends who they get in to replace and whether they have enough on screen chemistry. As we saw this year though, a good lineup on paper doesn't necessarily mean problem solved.

There are many other factors to consider too such as the standard of the acts, which has been one of the main criticisms surrounding the current series. Is finding another Leona too much to hope for? Probably. But can they improve on this year's sorry lot? You'd hope so.

But all_night is right to an extent; this kind of decline is not a disaster considering The X Factor's start point. It's an embarrassment, yes, and things will have to change but at no point is it a disaster. Yet. If there's another 20% decline next year then the panic button will be pressed; but it's worth noting American Idol rallied after a 20% year-on-year drop and The X Factor could do the same.

The X Factor's ratings this year have been many things - but well off a disaster/catastrophe/approaching the axe etc.

Although Adam Crozier wouldn't admit that earlier in the week. Thankfully though I don't think Simon will be settling for this years ratings - but I just hope they realise it's aspects of the format, not the judges, that they need to work on.

Well i can't say for sure but i think it will be like BGT last year. I think the 2010 lost about 22% of it's viewers but 2011 was 1% down. I think the same will happen for x facor in 2012.

I'm sure this isn't about point scoring between BBC and ITV fans. XF is a popular show and nobody can deny its success. It's so popular it rises above fan wars on here. However by its own standards its not done very well in the ratings this year. The majority of posters who have commented on its decline are not gloating about it or saying 10m itself is a bad figure.

Oh lighten up and no need to be pedantic or whatever the word is.

Fair point. Perhaps that pattern could repeat itself. There's no guarantee of that though, especially since we don't know what changes will take place between now and then.

edit: never mind

Saturday 3 December 2011 BARB Finals
The X Factor - 11.43m [+1: 370k]
Strictly Come Dancing - 11.42m
I'm a Celebrity - 10.82m [+1: 271k]
Merlin - 6.90m

fair enough and I agree, the 3 million drop is not a disaster, but for a show that normally gets bigger every year, it is a massive warning sign that only a total fool would ignore.

Whilst it wont happen, a final rating of less than 10 million (over nights or finals) would be a "disaster" I expect a 12 million rating for tonights show, even if that would mean a 5 million drop.


I feel so sorry for you LRose that kind of thing is exactly the kind of thing that happens in this thread, and its fair to say this conversation, could well lead to that. This is why ive limited my discussion to year on year rather than anything else.

I think it needs a change in the panel just to generate some interest. I wonder whether some of the things that have happened this year have been made in an attempt to hurt The Voice (the mentors axing acts like the battle round; mentors singing with the finalists) so to casual viewers it looks like a copycat.

The format really needs to take a look at bootcamp - again; the auditions, judges houses and (as long as the interest is there) the live shows rate fine. The bootcamp stage is where momentum is lost.

Any heads up on the finals for The Killing last week?

K

A major gamble has developed on Doctor Who to be most watched Christmas Day show. From 12/1 three days ago...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/column...5875-23618026/

...it is now challenging EastEnders for favouritism.

http://sports.williamhill.com/bet/en...Programme.html

Indeed, you can get odds-against EE with Betfair.

PS - I don't imagine it's often that The X-factor ISN'T favourite for the Christmas Number One single, but it isn't this year as I type (it's Gareth Malone and the Military Wives Choir).

http://sports.williamhill.com/bet/en...ngle-2011.html

the military wives thing is interesting, to hear Chris Evans talk about it on his Breakfast show, you would think it a dead cert for a No1. I know Chris Evans is working for the BBC, but even im less sure of that.

12/1?! You could have given us a heads up three days ago, mate.

Really can't see EE topping the day, not against Downton, and not with the kind of form it's experiencing at the moment.

Not even with the OMG massive storyline they are having this Christmas?!

LOL. Not even with that, no.

Are these odds based on overnights or consolidated?

That's interesting - though slightly different circumstances when it really was the 2011 series which suffered (or benefitted) from a change in judging line up and relatively weak talent. The question I guess for X Factor producers is whether it needs some stability or some changes in the judges line up next year. I think with all the judging changes on various shows in recent years the benefits of bringing in a new judges aren't what they were a few years ago.

Edit: Deleted. See below.

Rules - Betfair...which has put the word 'overnight' in red ink

Please note that this market will be settled based only on overnight BARB figures, as reported following Christmas Day. The settlement of this market will NOT take into consideration any consolidated data viewing figures subsequently released by BARB.

Ah, I was going by William Hill which simply states "confirmed by BARB figures." From that I assumed officials. Slightly misleading.

Utterly awful for Bieber. Wish they put The Chase at 7pm with Bieber at 6pm.


Stupid from both channels, should have alternated so the repeats and new episodes do not clash.