Over 5 million

I definitely think for the first time since 2006, it won't make the yearly top 10, and Britain's Got Talent will be the only one there out of the two. Officially, the Britain's Got Talent final this year had 12.56m across ITV1 and HD, so no way will XF beat that. Hard to believe that the second bootcamp episode still remains the highest rated in the officials.

I predict for the final:

9.7m and 11.8m peak
10.2m and 12.3m peak

I think it definitely depends on which acts end up in the final, celebrity guests etc. Obviously, the judges won't be duetting with their acts as it seems extremely likely Union J will be there, and as if they'd want Louis singing with them (he could clap like a seal the whole way through ). I'd like them to get Union J to duet with Take That, James to duet with Plan B or whatever etc. The producers would be looking for a guest to create a 'TV moment'.

Merlin exactly had 5.59m (22.9%).

Strictly had 10.25m (42.3%) and a peak of 11.55m (46.4%).

Why is strictly doing so well. Has it been good this year? I'm always at work so I miss it

5-minute breakdown for X Factor:

20:00 - 6.63m (27.35%)
20:05 - 7.89m (32.19%)
20:10 - 7.34m (30.75%)
20:15 - 7.26m (30.51%)
20:20 - 8.36m (34.04%)
20:25 - 8.64m (34.91%)
20:30 - 7.34m (30.66%)
20:35 - 8.29m (33.21%)
20:40 - 8.60m (34.15%)
20:45 - 8.89m (36.81%)
20:50 - 7.39m (31.85%)
20:55 - 8.34m (34.72%)
21:00 - 8.81m (36.33%)
21:05 - 8.75m (36.10%)
21:10 - 7.23m (30.96%)
21:15 - 7.99m (33.42%)
21:20 - 8.32m (34.22%)
21:25 - 7.34m (30.87%)
21:30 - 8.54m (34.58%)
21:35 - 8.33m (34.01%)
21:40 - 7.85m (32.61%)

All the joke acts went in the first 4 weeks, Good selection of celebs and athletes. It's feel good family fun and not negative and nasty the way xfactor has been over the past few years. Also it doesn't feel like the producers are pulling puppet strings behind the scenes.

9.07m (34.0%)
* peak: 11.08m (39.0%) at 20:50

That peak is still below what the results used to average

Being the semi-finals next week I'd be shocked if the main show still remains below 9m.

Hassan your posts border on obsessional. Yes the ratings are down this year but it's still doing ok. Calm down dear. You'll give yourself an ulcer. Top 2 ratings can't last forever you know.

looooooooooool

The guy just needs a sense of proportion. Yes it's not the powerhouse it once was but it's still doing well for a nine year old show.

You think that's obsessional, it's much worse in the ratings thread!

Just calm down girlfriend.

Can we please go back onto the ratings discussion?

Anyway, here's a five minute breakdown from last night:

20:00 - 7.78m (30.25%)
20:05 - 8.36m (31.98%)
20:10 - 8.40m (32.32%)
20:15 - 8.77m (33.24%)
20:20 - 7.80m (30.36%)
20:25 - 9.45m (35.22%)
20:30 - 8.56m (32.67%)
20:35 - 9.36m (34.78%)
20:40 - 9.05m (33.95%)
20:45 - 10.41m (37.57%)
20:50 - 11.08m (39.02%)

It's still good ratings. I don't really like the show that much tbh but watch it since there is nothing else on!

Official ratings for w/e 18/11 for Live Show 7 & Results

Performances: 8.96m
Results: 9.94m

The results show was officially the 7th highest rated show of the series. The second bootcamp episode still happens to be the highest rated this year.

This is everything that's wrong with the show. People only care about the results and they've brought it on themselves, especially this week where they've been using the shock elimination as an advertising point to the show. People are only going to tune in to what you advertise, you need to advertise the acts you do have rather than the results and people will tune in to see how good or bad the acts are rather than a potential shock elimination at the end.

My two cents

This year you mean. That's how the audience has been like throughout the series, and I don't think the result last night was a 'shock' elimination. Heck, for the first time this series the video of the judges decision on YouTube doesn't have so much dislikes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zabFQY0ioE&feature=plcp

I remember a few weeks ago they advertised 'Best of British' week in between shows during the week before, and the celebrity guests, not the acts, but I don't know how they'd advertise the acts, though I'd expect them to go all out for the final and they get decent enough celebrity guests.

Apparently Emile Sande and One Direction are confirmed. I think they will need better than this, One Direction didn't boost the ratings that much when they were on a few weeks ago, not as much as the producers thought.

Last years' series looks like a 'ratings success' despite being down on the year before, the way this years' are going.

What I meant was it seems as if the public is more interested in the results and tune in in hope of a shock elimination just for entertainment.

I saw an ad a few days ago that was just about Ella's elimination and it had Tulisa ranting about the public voting for the wrong people and then at the end it just had 'Five remain' or something along the lines of that, didn't even show any performances from last week.

Obviously the last 20 minutes are always going to rate higher but when there's a good 2-3 million viewers who are capable to watch the whole show but decide to just watch the elimination it's a little worrying.

Honestly next series I hope ratings go up. As much as I like to hate the show sometimes it's fun to watch of a weekend

For some of the live shows last year, the performances were averaging 9 million, while the results were averaging 12 million. People hope for a shock elimination, hence the reason they tune in, and that seems to be it. Heck, the ratings for the Saturday show two days ago was actually down from the week before. They get what they seem to want but don't seem to bother tuning in the next week to see what happens.

Because of the Royal Variety Performance next Monday on ITV1, they are having to stick Corrie before the semi-final results show at 7 the day before. I think it'll rate better on a Sunday in the winter rather than the autumn, and should provide a better lead-in for the results than Surprise, Surprise.

Do you think that the fact Chris is still in, is the reason why the ratings are slumping? Or the fact many of the best acts have gone out already?

The semi-final ratings in previous years (overnights)

2008:
9.72m (39.1%), *peak: 11.62m (46.1%)
9.77m (39.6%)

2009:
12.36m (49.5%), *peak: 13.66m (53.8%)
12.7m (46%), *peak: 14.3m

2010:
13.7m (47.9%), *peak: 15.1m
15.08m (48.6%), peak: 17.5m (53.3%)

2011:
10.26m (39.9%), *peak: 11.32m (43.0%)
11.71m (40.5%), *peak: 13.56m (44.1%)

I think they can bring the ratings back up next year, just need to get some things right.

Need to rely a lot less on SyCo acts, such as 1D overkill etc.

Get rid of Tulisa and Gary.

Get bigger names back on the results show.

Some positive features of this season, is Dermot been on top form, making the show fun, and the live shows have been far more upbeat this year, just Gary and Tulisa dampening the spirits. Better pre intro sequence without the classical epic music.

This. I don't think they have had many big names, just XF acts like Olly, 1D, JLS

I'm pretty sure the ratings would be in better shape if they had big guests, Take That would be a good example.

Rihanna, Bruno Mars, NeYo and Alicia Keys (Pink this weekend) as well as people who have been big over the last year or so- Rita Ora, Ed Sheeran, Emile Sande etc. The guests are fine.

Shame they haven't boosted the ratings much.

Semi finals this weekend. Predictions please

I wonder what factors could have an effect on the ratings, the weather doesn't seem so good, maybe the fact Rylan's gone (though many liked him) and the fact the song choices will very much suit the act?