Total viewers don't matter in US ratings. It's the percentage of people watching in the 18-49 age range that US advertisers look for.

Tonight, 10.2m with 11m peak

I've missed off:

20:40 - 8.78m (37.7%) <-- adverts

and:

21:55 - 9.68m (40.0%) - result.

BGT's audition shows this year actually rated far better than last year, many with peaks of over 12m, something which wasn't managed last year. It was actually the live shows that turned out to be the problem as they weren't broadcast during half-term week as in previous years.

The five-minute peak of 14.5m (inc +1) was ahead of the 2007 peak of 11.2m, 2008's peak of 14.4m and 2011's peak of 14.4 (inc +1), just behind 2010's peak of 14.8m and 2009's peak of 19.2m.

BGT's series average this year is 10.18m (on consolidated figures). It seems very unlikely that XF will beat it this year.

I would think the peak would be further ahead of the average (at least 2m).

I am going to miss all the wonderful work Hassaan13 has done over the series! Thank you very much for compeiling all the stats- it's been fun reading them.

You don't have to wait too long, there's Britain's Got Talent in April

I think the total TV audience depends on the shares and ratings on the whole.

I can't see anything pitted against XF that is likely to dent it. Who Wants to be a Millionaire will be a far better lead-in than the McFly Show last night.

XF has beaten Strictly on peak every Sunday this series I believe (apart from last week).

Over the 150 minutes BGT averaged slightly more than 2011 (11.9m vs 11.8m) and jusy 400,000 less than 2010 which was the year after the SuBo phenomenon. There's no point comparing a 30 minute results show to a 150 minute performance + results show unless you're trying to produce a misleading statistic.

The auditions performed particularly well, standing as the second highest rated audition tour in the shows history (beaten only by 2009). The semi-finals seemed to take a dive, perhaps due to being displaced from half term week (the 9.30pm results shows in particular). Although the new format for the semi-finals since 2010 has never worked.

The series average since 2010 is down about 5%. That's a lower rate of decline than any of the soaps, for example.


And these are your reliable sources? Or is it someone from The Sun taking a punt on a number?

Well, so many people are saying last night's show was the least watched final EVER: http://tellymix.co.uk/ratings/123260...ched-ever.html

http://www.mrpaparazzi.com/post/2153...-cause-concern

Regarding BGT and the separate show for the results in the semi-finals, it never worked for XF before 2009 (when the results would rate lower than the earlier show) but it seemed to work for BGT every year (except 2010 and 2012) when they had separate shows for the final. The separate show for BGT was mainly for revenue and to fit in guest performances etc.

If tonight's show averages more than 11m, it'll be ahead of 2007, but I can't see it beating 2008 at all because that was a 1-hour show (reuslts) compared to a 2 hour show we get nowadays.

I would expect so as I can't seem to find a reliable source for these 'predictions'.

Yes it's good to see the ratings although anyone would think Hassan is Simon Cowell. He's on the verge of giving himself an ulcer worrying about the shows ratings each week. Hassan, I appeal to you to calm down dear for next year. Otherwise you'll send yourself loopy. Yes the show is way down this year but its still a highly rated show. I'm sure Simon would like it to be doing better but it's not the flop people on here are painting it to be.

BGT will have to do something big in terms of ratings. next year if the credibility of Simon Cowell's show wants to remain in tact.

Well, the one thing they can do is stick with the same panel (Simon, Amanda, David and Alesha) as they proved popular with viewers this year, more so than any other panel I believe.

The deal runs out next year, will it be renewed?

Of course it will. The ratings would have to halve at least from where they are now for it to be cancelled.

They're wrong. It definitely beat the final performance show in 2004. Including +1 it beat 2005 as well.

The best tonight can hope for is to beat 2006 (10.2m). It won't top 2007 (11.7m). It should beat the 9.7m from 2004 and 9.3m from 2005.

, So far every year since 2009 (since we had the final over two nights), the Sunday show has rated at least 2-3m more than the Saturday show. Last year, the Saturday show had 10.6m and the Sunday show had 12.9m (both excluding +1). If that was the case this year, we'd be looking at near 12m tonight (on average).

BREAKING NEWS:

My series average prediction suggests that this is the least-watched X Factor since Series 1.

Series average for series 1 was 7.4m, surely it won't be that low?

8.55m

Are you taking into account the HD figures (if that figure is this series' average)?

Yes, I think so

The fact you have to disect it so much, says a lot. It's still down regardless of format, school holidays etc.

Ratings are ratings, show length is irrelevant. Also, why are you ignoring 2009? What has the drop been since 2009?

Most of the figures including HD are actually above 9m so I don't know how that works out...