I can think of better ways to unwind. Watching all these shitty stunts play out is not good for one's blood pressure.

That moment peaked at 16.6m and it stayed around that much over the next few weeks, until it ended up at 19.7m for the final. So yes, if it isnt a series high I will be surprised.

As I read all the comments about tonight's X Factor, the Monty Python blackmail sketch comes to mind: "We're not here to moralise, we just want your money"

Now I'm going to have to put you all on my ignore list before the bulging bood vessel on the back on my neck explodes.

Don't compare something that had 17 million with something that will have 6 million less viewers. In 2009 and 2010, the show was on a tidal wave where things like this increased its popularity, but two years later it is "been there, done that, got the t-shirt".

Will be very interesting to see whether there was that traditional surge for the timing of tonight's stunt. You could say it's just down to the timing of the result anyway, but I think in the past it has been higher on shows like tonight's.

Yes, but people can see through the publicity stunts and "controversy" now. I still don't think there will be much buzz in the upcoming weeks because this group of contestants aren't particularly great.

I don't know, I quite like it. I think it's becoming a game of skill - can you see the manipulation before it actually happens? I have to admit, I didn't expect the camera to pick up someone talking to Louis before the decisions...

The show needed something and it's found it. It's hardly going to hurt it's credibility; it lost that in series two when Louis saved The Conway Sisters.

Will it see a boost next week? We'll have to see how the press catches on to the story. But I can't see it doing the show any harm.

They've always been able to "see through" the controversy. Every controversy on the show has been accompanied by a discussion of "was it real", "was it set up by Simon/producers. In fact, I give it 48 hours at most before someone writes an article saying that Simon was on the phone from LA handing out orders that Rylan should stay.

The group of contestants in the 2009 series was appalling but that was the year when the ratings really started to soar.

Look at how XFactor's twitter tag spiked towards the end of the episode: https://twitter.com/SecondSync/statu.../photo/1/large

The hope for them is that some of those twitter users, who probably dont watch the whole show regularly but tweeted tonight about it after seeing friends talk about it, get sucked into the show and watch next week.

Would be interesting to see the effect on next week's figures.

Long as people blame Louis its all fine. Thats what hes there for.
Did catch the guy who got through though...dear lord - they really really want him to be the new joke act - am guessing Gary plays Simon and there will be one performance he 'loves'

Unfortunately X Factor's producers aren't that good anymore; they can't hide the strings and the puppets don't seem to fit the role (hes not funny or cute and the judges praise was not believable).

EDIT: None of this will affect the ratings; X Factor does this every year - its just part of the basic format and should be counted in the ratings already.

Funny you should say that, as the same BBC Trust document I quoted earlier says that the removal of children's programmes and their replacement with other content will actually cost a net £0.2m - £1.2m a year.

I have noticed that the repeats in the BBC1 afternoon children's block tend to be of entertainment or factual programmes, which presumably are cheaper to repeat than sitcoms or dramas. So no great savings on repeat fees there, and it must be that the 'adult' factual repeats coming to BBC2 are on average a bit more expensive than the children's factual/entertainment repeats which are aired on BBC1/2 at the moment.

While I approve of the exercise, I had thought it would save some money, rather than cost more! (albeit a very small amount in the great scheme of things)

In a obvious attempt to steer myself back on topic, I should say that these changes will have implications for ratings.

Actually a fascinating site for 'Twitter tables' for those interested: http://secondsync.com/leaderboard.ht...06-2012/totals

I know, it's just disgusting that Producers of a light entertainment show for a commercial broadcaster are concerned about their show's ratings... they should be utterly ashamed of themselves and resign if they have any integrity.

They are despicable human beings for engineering a publicity stunt to get people talking about their programme in the year it's started to show signs of decline. The fact that everyone is saying how annoyed they are about the result and promoting the show on my Facebook and the whole of Twitter is reason enough to call for the Producers to be fired.

I am sickened.

Take Me Out's position on the chart only shows how useless twitter trends are

Pretty good for the 'specific times' though; thanks for linking.
X Factor obviously a social media giant ofc.

Just watched the 'someone whispering in Louis ear' clip again. Richard Holloway, executive producer. Definitely deliberately caught on camera, the way it pans that way and they seem to begin on cue

All publicity and all controversy good in Cowell land....

Ditto Being Liverpool. More tweets than viewers soon. That might already be true of Soccer AM !

Remember that if you make it through to The X Factor and then you get voted off due to something being rigged.

The X Factor is what it is. People say they're outraged and tune in the following week. Simon will be laughing. The British public laps this stuff up.

When your talking about people's life long ambitions being crushed by people to try and get a few more viewers to watch then it's a pretty low form of entertainment, something that is starting to wear thin with a lot of viewers.

Her problem was that nobody voted for her. Everyone knows the rules when they go in for it, they're on a TV show. It might be an old and tired plot device, but as ever the key reason is that people didn't vote for her. When you come 13th out of 13 contestants (and she hasn't been short changed on coverage) you can't have many complaints.

Yeah, but, as the one with the lowest public vote was eliminated......


The problem is it's all so cynical. The producers aren't even subtle anymore. Executive producer caught on camera discussing "something" with Louis Walsh. "Ooh, what an unfortunate accident"

In the production team's eyes, the ends - higher ratings, lots of column inches - justifies the means.

Not the point. It was described as a low form of entertainment. Desperate, perhaps. Which it is.

I find it all quite amusing. People are acting as if they didn't know what they were doing showing the exec on camera Funny how it's always Holloway - the most public face exec

Wasn't it in 2010 they changed the rules around deadlock or something? There was uproar for a day or two, then it all simmerred down. If they got away with that they'll be fine

no im talking about anyone who goes on it, hoping to get a music career, how can people really think this is the best vehicle for their talent?


people disgust me.

Also BBC 3 saw fit to include tonight's happenings in its news bulletins, and all I could think is, that if Gary is so disgusted by he, he wont be on the show next week.

Yet somehow I know Gary will be on the show next week.

How can anyone with any artistic talent, want to be on this show anymore?

When are viewers going to realise they are being played for fools, and stop watching?