Biggest rating for BBC1 yesterday was 3.7m for a repeat of Mrs Brown's Boys.

Source: Liam Hamilton

well that is a bit depressing, but really it was because there was nothing on TV worth even switching the TV on for last night.

Most people with a ha'porth of sense take absolutely no notice of the tabloids at all


Supporting England is a long tradition of hope over expectation.

All I could find was the music on BBC 3

Well welcome to my world every saturday night when there's no football.

all I can say is, thank god for my ever growing list of iPlayer Radio favourites.


you could try watching something that isnt football, there is normally an ok variety of programs on a Saturday.

Higher than the original broadcast (2.8m). I reckon the Christmas special will clear 10m. Especially if it follows The Royle Family on Christmas Day.

Really? I was under the impression it was a ridiculous amount of Sleb reality shows, game shows and karaoke contests, all of which I despise with an absolute passion. I quite like Harry Hill, oh but even that's going now.

God I'd love to have been a fly on the wall at those Channel 5 development meetings. How did they fit all the executives into one room beside that great big elephant screaming "what the hell are you doing, this is sh*t"? Sounds like one of the worst commissions of the year, IMO. I do want Channel 5 to do well and I think running Channel 5 is probably one of the harder jobs around. But this kind of thing really doesn't help. And quite why they'd turn to Chris Evans I have no idea.


I still say they should try normal people... then again, the standard of celeb has dropped so low that they are probably more "normal people" than "celebrities".

Don't worry, Salv*, I think most English people are under no delusions about the test the football side are facing tonight. Italy may not have finished top of their group but it did include Spain. Obviously England should have some hope as the Italians failed to beat Croatia but then again they managed a creditable draw versus Spain. We did claim seven points in the group stage but had poor periods in all three games which the Italians could exploit.

I personally think the Italians are the favourites tonight and I wish the English tabloid press would present this viewpoint as we seem to do better when the pressure is off us.

Taking it back to ratings, I wonder if Euro 2012 has been slightly down on expectations because of the lack of hype surrounding England. I'll be interested to see if it does increase expectation-wise tonight and, if England qualify, how Portugal v Spain's rating will be effected on Wednesday.

Well done to them, but if you look at the BB board, it is worrying that some people remember every tiny detail of every show.
However, back on topic, ITV1 seemed to die after the football last night. They showed a repeat of a show only ITV could make The Big Quiz, TOWIEvs Benidorm.

Incidentlly, you'll notice that ITV's highlights have now been rescheduled to 10.30, with a Britain's Favourite View filler at 10.15, presumably because if it goes to extra time, it would still be being played when the programme started. It's still too early, though, I doubt anyone in front of a TV at 10.30 would be unaware of the result.

yes there are is reality TV, but there is also drama, sci-fi, family drama, cop shows, plus whatever BBC 2 is showing.

I was looking at the options for World Cup 2014, and almost whatever way you look at it, BBC could miss out on a potential England knockout game:

Basically with Itv having first pick, will the pick order go:

Option 1: 1. Itv: England best group game, 2. BBC: Ro16 1st pick, 3. Itv: England 2nd best group game, 4. BBC: England 3rd best group game, 5. Itv: QF 1st pick
Or
Option 2: 1. Itv: England best group game, 2. BBC: Ro16 1st pick, 3. Itv: England 2nd best group game, 4. BBC: QF 1st pick, 5. Itv: England 3rd best group game
Or
Option 3: 1. Itv: England best group game, 2. BBC: England 2nd best group game, 3. Itv: England 3rd best group game, 4. BBC: RO16 1st pick, 5. Itv: QF 1st pick
Or
Option 4: 1. Itv: England best group game, 2. BBC: England 2nd best group game, 3. Itv: RO16 1st pick, 4. BBC: QF 1st pick, 5. Itv: England 3rd best group game
Or
Option 5: 1. Itv: England best group game, 2. BBC: England 2nd best group game, 3. Itv: RO16 1st pick, 4. BBC: England 3rd best group game, 5. Itv: QF 1st pick
Or
Option 6: 1. Itv: Ro16 1st pick, 2. BBC: England best group game, 3. Itv: England 2nd best group game, 4. BBC: QF 1st pick, 5. Itv: England 3rd best group game
Or
Option 7: 1. Itv: Ro16 1st pick, 2. BBC: England best group game, 3. Itv: England 2nd best group game, 4. BBC: England 3rd best group game, 5. Itv: QF 1st pick

Option 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 would mean that for the first time in 14 years, BBC might not be able to show an England knockout match. But the BBC will probably get the best semi final under any realistic scenario.

Reality tends to be mainly confined to Channel 5 and smaller digital channels aimed at the yoof and young female market at the moment. There is always BBC Four if you want something more challenging.

7.1million for EastEnders isn't that bad.

It was up against a big football game.

I think ratings will be back up by tomorrow!

i agree with this, on a normal 7.1 is "ok" if slightly lower, but up against a big game (not sure who was playing) its a decent figure.

Actually it's only a million down on what it normally gets at this time of year,

I know we've had this discussion on the other thread - although every time I've looked we've had a longer list of potential picks - but as I said there there are many ways in which it's unlikely the Beeb would pass up on an England knockout match and still get a group game. It depends when the group games are played and who the opponents are, especially if Ireland or Scotland are involved as well and there are other attractive fixtures in the group stage.

In 2006, even with the Beeb having both of England's knockout games, ITV had the biggest audience of the tournament with England vs Sweden because it was the only one in primetime. It could well be that in 2014, England have two matches at 8pm and one at 11pm and then all their knockout matches are at 5pm or 11pm so they'd go for the two 8pm matches like a shot and then look elsewhere.

They tried a normal version during series 3 or 4 (Dancing on Ice: Make Me a Star). It was slightly different and focused on finding an ice performing act rather than a figure skating couple. It was launched as its own show but ended up being the 'middle' section of the results show. I'm surprised they never tried to spin that off into its own series.

I doubt any non England group games will take priority over potential England Ro16 and QF 1st picks. Okay Scotland qualifying could make a difference but the chances of that are very slim, and atm we should assume Scotland ain't gonna qualify.


There are no knockout games at 11pm, all knockout games will be either 5pm or 9pm.

Well over a full year you're probably right but there are plenty of Saturdays where there is next to no variety at all.

I think ITV1 really scraped the bottom of the barrel by repeating the Big Quiz TOWIE vs Benidorm. It was on in the pub, where I first saw it in April, and it really smacked of cheap, desperate television.

they do seem to be treating it as easily cancelled filler, should the football over run. Which I guess something has to be.

Well, the point remains, if England's knockout matches all end up at 5pm then ITV will be far less likely to pick them than if they were at 9pm. We can't know this until they do the draw. Same as if England are in a really weak group or a really difficult group, which will almost certainly make a difference to the picks. And a mentioned in the other thread, it may well be the case that if they really can't decide they'd simulcast, or have various forumlae depending on how far England get, like in 2006 when if England reached the semi-final they'd have simulcast.