So it is. Cheers, I've fixed that now.

I think the idea as well is to do a T4 style thing around it with various C4 personalities presenting links in between the special programmes. That should increase its appeal as a piece of event TV.

Then after the birthday stuff is over they launch new high stakes gameshow The Bank Job, which is stripped across 6 consecutive nights. Early thoughts on that, anyone?

Depends if it is good or not, MPD works but I think Channel 4 need to limit it to maybe two series a year stripped nightly rather than the mix of nightly and twice weekly and 90 minutes is IMO far too long for a gameshow.

The concept sounds really interesting, and it's getting a fair push already, but it's hard to tell until you see how it plays out on screen. I'm glad it's a mixture of skill, judgement and luck rather than mostly or even entirely luck based which seems to be a new trend with a lot of these shows.

My big concern early on for it is the presenter. We've seen recently with new primetime gameshows that they tend to be DOA if the host is not right. Is George Lamb best suited to this project?

Those New Years Eve schedules are absolutely dire - it's as though they couldn't even be bothered to try!

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That's Britain has surprisingly climbed for BBC One but it'll have stronger competition next week with The Royal Variety Performance. Frozen Planet finished well, with a lack of audience crossover with ITV1 and the temptation of seeing Sir David Attenborough in the Artic. The Impressions Show saw a slight boost as well in the 8.30pm slot.

On BBC Two, MasterChef is really showing BBC One what they could have had if the scheduling had been better - that's another exceptional rating for the show. It Takes Two seems slightly low compared to how it's rated recently and Inside Job got swallowed up by the oppsotion.

The football performed well for ITV1 but they'll be very disappointed with the result; I'm sure they expected at least Manchester United to qualify for the knockout stages. The Cain saga is giving momentum to Emmerdale as well, but the news cannot hold it's own without a crossover lead in.

The Million Pound Drop saw a slight rise on Channel 4 but I still think it's silly scheduling to have it on so late. Kirsty's Handmade Christmas and Phil's Empty Homes Giveaway worked well together to give them a solid evening and Hollyoaks is maintaining a rating above the 1m mark.

Channel 5 had a quite night, but I don't think they'll care considering what was happening on ITV1 at the same time. Highland Emergency did well compared to other 7.30pm shows but then again, all the others are up against a soap.

Nice effort from Channel 4 to mark their birthday. They're always rather good with anniversaries, to be fair - especially when you consider the BBC almost completely forgot the 75th Birthday of BBC TV a few months ago!


Ah, thats good news. The April-June runs have been causing problems for BBC entertainment shows for years now. It's common sense for The Voice to avoid that with an earlier start.

What do people think about the scheduling of Law and Order Uk on a Friday? DCI Banks did pretty well there.

I'm a massive fan of the show, so hoping it's recommisioned. Surely ITV wouldn't drop it?

It has a better chance there than on Tuesdays.

It does fine I think, ITV says series 5 averaged 5.6 million and a 21% share last summer, which seems pretty good.

There have been cast departures and Paul Nicholls is replacing Jamie Bamber, so will be interesting to see if that has any impact.

Oh, and although moving Law & Order to Fridays is better for that show, I think the scheduling of The Biggest Loser at 9pm on Tuesday 3rd January is crazy.

It's gifting an audience for the opening episode of Public Enemies on BBC One that will probably stick with it until the final episode. Therefore proving a difficult start for Eternal Law on Thursday.

Surely the Biggest Loser isn't going to stay a 9pm show, it should go to 8pm from Tues 10th Jan.

Channel 4 has had mixed success with entertainment formats but at least they're trying. I do think Channel 5 should consider taking a leaf out of their book and commissioning a nightly gameshow in the vein of MPD rather than tat like Tamara and Amy.

Speaking of Channel 5, what's replacing OKTV from January, I'm assuming it's repeats at the moment although I think Bit on the Side could air daily at 6.25pm with a live edition after the eviction on Fridays.

Eddie Stobbart : Trucks & Trailers 6pm

Moving Bit on the Side into that dreaded 6.25 slot would be crazy. It rated really well (for the channel it's on) at 11pm, something which could not be replicated without the CBB lead-in at teatime.

We probably won't find out OK! TV's replacement until next week. Channel 5 will still be in holiday mode outside of primetime until the soaps come back on 9th Jan.

Are the soaps back on 9th? I've seen in the TV times that Neighbours & H&A return on 16th.

well according to the PI, they return on the 9th, but others have told me its the 16th, so its possible Channel 5 changed it.

Simon Cowell to make appearance in X Factor final via satellite link ?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...lite-link.html

Maybe plans have changed. C5 did originally say they would be back on the 9th. A four week break is the longest I can ever remember both shows to be off air.

Hope they are back on 9th - 4 weeks is a long time off and it would be great if Neighbours could be closer to the Australian broadcasts.

What's airing on the 4th January now that CBB launching on the 5th? I assume it'll be a film as I would think NCIS, CSI and CSI: NY will launch the week after.

According to digiguide:

7.00 Charley Boorman's Extreme Frontiers
8.00 The True Story
9.00 Beowulf

Yeah, no signs of any US imports launching in week 1. I thought CSI: Vegas might launch there at least but I suppose they want to concentrate on CBB that week.

The movie premiere of 21 gets wasted on New Year's Eve at 4:35pm for some unknown reason whilst film repeats play out on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night.

I can see Alan Carr doing alright on Channel 4 on New Years Eve. At least they've made an effort instead of sticking on a film or Bee Gees repeat.

9 - 11.35pm Alan Carr's New Year Specstacular

Funnyman Alan Carr has been left in charge of Channel 4 HQ and is set to throw a New Year's Eve party to remember. Alan is joined by a host of special guests including Jonathan Ross, Micky Flanagan, Melanie Sykes, Gok Wan, Kirstie Allsopp, Alesha Dixon, Bruno Tonioli, Heston Blumenthal, Olly Murs, Paddy McGuinness, Rachel Riley and Shelley von Strunckel. There are sketches and entertaining games along with raucous audience participation. And music is from JLS and The Ting Tings.

21 isn't even a bad film! I guess any premieres will be saved until after Big Brother unless they're family friendly enough to air at either 7 or 8pm like The Pink Panther 2.

Launching the US imports in the same week could have a halo effect especially CSI where they can promote Ted Danson.

I'd guess a weekend slot might be more likely - either 10pm Sundays (make use of the Downton audience) or the end of Saturday primetime.


They don't need it during Dancing on Ice - but the Spring and Summer definately does. It's whether they need it more than Friday 8.30pm which is the question, and at the moment I'd say they do.

Personally I'd have never introduced the Thursday edition and instead left it on Wednesdays but with extra episodes on Sundays to make up for episodes lost. That might mean 4 episodes some weeks and 6 episodes others but I think it would have worked.


I'd say C4 have the better entertainment line up though - EastEnders certainly isn't entertainment and Ab Fab doesn't have the broad appeal to warrant it's Christmas Day slot. It seems a genuine alternative for Christmas night.

For real stupid scheduling see New Year's Eve and Alan Carr's New Years Eve Spectacular. It begins at 9pm - ends at 11.35pm to make way for a repeat of Rude Tube!

Celebrity Juice also have a New Years Eve (2041) special at 10pm - though it's basically a clip show.


C4 do need entertainment formats but they need weekly formats more - these shows stripped across a week are fine at occassional points in the years, but too many of them and it prevents them from scheduling anything consistent in weekly slots. They really need to rebuild their drama portfolio more than anything at 10pm and get back to a point where they have US or UK drama at least three nights a week.

As for the Mash Up - would rather they showed programmes in their entirety rather than chopping and changing all night (if Davina is the only player, MPD being in three parts suggests she probably gets to the final question). And of the shows that night, only Countdown seems really worth it IMO.

And in typical fashion, I predict DS will have its annual "I can't believe Jools Holland isn't live - what a con!" thread, whereas Carr's show, probably also recorded already, won't merit a mention....

Who?

They're trying with drama with Black Mirror but I agree they could do with more drama series although they haven't had much luck with both Sirens and Fresh Meat underperforming. US drama has been sorely lacking and with Desperate Housewives ending, they need to find a suitable replacement.

Comedy wise, they need to rebuild Friday as been discussed a few times rather than scattered at 10pm across the schedule. They have some of the hottest US comedies and it seems silly that they're on E4 rather than Channel 4. New Girl and 2 Broke Girls IMO should be paired on Fridays at 9 and British comedy at 10pm whether it be Chattyman/8 Out of 10 Cats/Quiz Night, a standup special or a sitcom.