at the timeshift for DA. Is that the biggest timeshift ever?? I don't think anyone predicted it would top EE (excluding +1 and BBC3 repeat) so that is a real achievement. The bad news for ITV is that this probably won't be reported anywhere and not many people will know the whole story of Christmas Day. Michael McIntyre's final rating is excellent too (and thoroughly deserved IMO). It was a great show. Corrie was also ahead of it's Xmas Day 2010 episode too which seemed like something that wouldn't have happened coming off the back of the 50th Anniversary that year. It had 10.40m in 2010 vs. 10.51m (inc. +1: 10.82m) in 2011.


Now that is close!!

Despite all the spin, DA brought ITV back into the game on Christmas Day which I don't anyone would have predicted a year ago. Those primetime shares are quite something.

If Jordans leave they could use Ola as a judge, or Flavia? Or how about Zoe Ball after her stint on ITT?

So Downton won Christmas day - what a turn up

The irony being that ITV1 have to explain to advertisers that around 30% of total viewers decided to watch on timeshift, in all likelihood skipping their advertising - yes even the Aviva bumpers. When V+ on demand auto records shows like DA for subscribers, all ad breaks are removed, there are some at the start but they are not ITV1 advertisements.

My view is that if we include +1 for ITV, we need to include Eastenders repeat. In the end it rates very well, and the same day aspect means 'repeat viewers' problem is on par with the +1 service.
The timeshift of 200k for EE on BBC Three only highlights what at the end of the day is a +2 service.

In terms of comparing soaps is easier. But in the end EE is up against a show for the first time.
I don't think we should call a 'definite winner' - two collosal shows went up against each other.

EE 'technically' won Christmas Day. Downton won Christmas week with the massive timeshifts.
Now comparing the two shows in viewers? Eastenders had more viewers. We use +1 for everything, we need to use it here


To me Downton won the day - I'll say that now, massive timeshift and a big audience - ITV are the ones who won here.
HOWEVER - unless ITV feel it really boosts their overall ratings on Christmas, they should try another day. For them timeshifting is bad, for BBC its very very good.

I suspect there will be pressure for them to move it either side of Christmas.
Pressure backed up by big £££ signs.

That will be debated here until Dec 25th 2012 , it does not improve its position in the top 20 shows of 2011 though.

Oh, yes, there are several ex-dancers from the show that could be considered as a judge.


Meanwhile - how about Sherlock Holmes on Christmas Day next year?

Sherlock Holmes vs Downton Abbey.:eek


edit: I mean this year.

you are right of course, in a straight BBC 1 vs ITV 1, fight ITV 1 won by 270,000. Ok that isnt alot but a win is a win.

Its only if you include ITV1+1 then you open the door to also including BBC 3.

That said of course if the question is "How many people watched EE on the 25th Dec 2011?", then I would think you would need to count all showings on that day, not just the first showing.

Its totally subjective, and even more so when you consider that the BBC 3 repeat may be people watching the show for a 2nd time, which is less likely with ITV1+1.

Maybe for 2012, show it on Sunday December 16th from 9.00-11.00pm, with a repeat showing on Christmas Day at 3.10pm, much better than another showing of Happy Feet. Advertisers would love a 5m captive audience after Xmas lunchtime.

I think you misunderstood what I meant. There are still hefty numbers watching on the night, 'live' if you like, as we saw last night with EE, Sherlock, etc. I'm not disputing that for one second.

However the overnights can be very misleading now. Downton 4th in the overnights, cue some unfair bad PR before the final picture emerged, in which it was #1 in the officials!

Unfortunately, I think the chances are that the 2012 and 2013 schedules are now set in stone for both channels. 8pm CS vs SCD, 9pm DA v EE. The Beeb wont risk anything else against DA if ITV's ad clients allow them to air it on Xmas Day again.

I think Sherlock WOULD work Christmas Day.
I'm unsure if Steven Moffat's heart could take the stress of the ratings the next day though!

We'll see where Downton goes from here. Am really not a fan (in the slightest - I was excited at first, seeing the ratings and thinking it was a modern take on a costume drama or something - only to learn its basically just another costume drama ) and tbh get a bit annoyed with the almost masterbation from the press, those involved and some fans - about just how good it is. Am sure others are the same with other shows.


I think ITV could use it to really beef up and win Christmas next year. They were scared in going for 9. They should aim around a 7 start. Then have something else on at 9 (a drama, seeing as they have no real comedies to speak of)


Sherlock I just want to be the biggest success possible. I really do love how was very quiet in well...becoming one of the BBC's biggest brands!

They are a good mix - Sherlock VS Downton I suspect, so who knows. It could be nice.
Am just depressed that despite Downton being away now for the year it'll be constantly mentioned and trumpeted as the ultimate TV.

that is another way of looking at it.

Any chance we could just declare it a draw?

A repeat on Christmas Day is a great idea.
ITV would be getting 11 millionish overnights for the special, then another 5 million or so!

As I say though - if they want to use Downton as a strategy for Christmas - they will. This year it seemed a bit more like 'lets take 'em on' - which is fair enough tbh.

Wow - Downton continues to rewrite the rules of Christmas!

I've just been checking the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail sites to see if they have picked up on this thread yet.

In the overnights, 29.7 million were watching in the 21:00 hour, rising to 35.0 million in the officials. This means 5.3 million timeshifted a show in the 21:00 clock hour on Christmas Day. 4.9 million timeshifted Downton Abbey and EastEnders combined, which means the remaining ~300+ channels timeshifted only 400k.

Crikey, would anyone subject themselves to EastEnders twice on Christmas Day, meant to be the happiest day of the year?

And people couldn't watch Downton for a second time on ITV1+1 because it was a two-hour programme.

Maybe take a leaf out of Robbie's book and send a few emails?

It's unbelievable how significant that failure to get that Royle Family episode written in time might turn out to be!

The BBC will rue the day they let that happen.

Brilliant, this thread spends a year not including staggercast numbers, even in the consolidated numbers, and now that Downton has come out on top you lot now want to include the staggercast in order to try and make some tedious argument to include BBC3 numbers. Consistently hilarious.

12.1m for Downton is a stunning result though.

Big Brother USA is the first that springs to mind for me. Friday Night Project also had a different set of hosts second time around, and I think a few shows have probably done that over the years actually. Pointless changed quite substantially too from series 1 to series 2, so those are three examples where the changes paid off in the long term, unlike something like Push the Button - though actually all said and done that didn't really change as much as it needed too. I'm sure there is another obvious gameshow example too, but I can't think of it.


Really can't see the Olympic ceremoniues even peaking at 20m+. An early prediction for the opening would be around 12.5-14m overall, peaking perhaps around the 18m mark at most.


LOL - shove that in your hat and eat it Robbie!

Now what an interesting state of affairs.

Downton Abbey & EastEnders had big timeshifts. But then there was the timeshifting on the night. Downton on ITV1 and EastEnders on BBC3.

Looking at the ITV rating Downton won, but in overall viewership EastEnders won.

I think this conversation will run and run so I'm just going to sit back and watch GeorgeS & Robbie Sykes debate this one!

Also the official end of year chart will need some tweaking. Doctor Who has moved up the list.

which is why it may not be possible to simply include BBC 3 as if it was a timeshift in this example, even if some of the viewing is likely to be time shifting.