I know every year there's a lot of fuss made over whether the joke contestants bring in the ratings or not. Some said Jedward/Katie really made the ratings for their years when they kept getting saved over better singers.

Haven't really been following the ratings this year, has Rylan had a similar effect and really delivered for ITV?

I doubt it, I turn him off and I suspect many have. The ratings are lower than IAC.

The ratings have dropped right down this year and hard to pinpoint why.

I'd say they're just trying to recycle what has worked before and the public are seeing right through i and beoming bored of it.

Ratings have hardly been good this year. I know my friend stopped watching after a couple of weeks because of Rylan

The obvious manipulation when Carolynne Poole got elimimanted after Louis was forced to change his vote has cost the show dearly. No matter how much spin the producers tried to put on what happened, it was clear for everyone to see. So no Rylan has not been good for the ratings.

Sadly not, it hasn't paid off. I think the producers will very relieved when Rylan goes.

he got +1 here. i would have stopped watching weeks ago as i dont particularly like any of them much this year. Rylan just makes me laugh.

No the ratings have been sliding down the pan this series.

It worked in series 6 with Jedward because it was the first time it had ever happened and Jedward were Irish so you could even see Louis' thinking a bit. Fixed, probably, but they could convincingly explain that one.

Meanwhile the one in week 1 didn't work because Louis had already said he wanted to save Carolynne and never seems to like Rylan anyway. Not forgetting we've now seen these novelty acts a million times before.

Na, I personally don't find Rylan's stage act very entertaining. Having said that I like him, he seems like a genuinely good, interesting fun guy.

Same as and if I'm watching it fresh on catch up I fast forward thru' his performances and feedback from judges- I really don't care what he has to say in response to Barlow's criticism, I don't find him quick or witty.

Why would you when you don't watch him.

I'd guess he will have helped the ratings, in that variety almost always does. He's probably kept me watching longer than I otherwise would have, and I'd be surprised if very many people at all stop watching because a particular performer is there. Certainly I've never considered doing so though in the past couple of series there's always been a heavily supported act I've detested heartily: I stop watching when there's nobody left in whom I can take more than a marginal interest.

Most likely they'd have been godawful without him. He's saved the show.

I doubt it, Jade would still be in and she had a lot of fans on here. I would rather listen/watch Jade than the awful Rylan. People are turning off because of him.

I think week one was the start of the slide. They made their bed and they have had to stick with it. They have tried to make Christopher the stooge and that hasn't seemed to go to plan.

Nail. On. Head.

Well Jade blatantly didn't get the ratings in, I don't remember seeing any headlines about her. It's hard to say whether she was bottom votes in the week she was bottom two, but while I do think she could have gone all the way, she certainly wasn't going to be boosting the ratings at all because there was nothing controversial about her.

It works both ways really, but I'd say he's attracted more viewers than turn them away.

Nope.

No he hasn't, only a few on here are bothered about him, most people just wish he would go away. Someone also reminded me that Carolynne went too.

Only a few? Yet he's never been bottom votes? Logic.

It's impossible to say though, I think many people are just getting bored with the show itself which is why the decrease in ratings is, I don't really believe that any act could save the show fully now, it's sorta beyond that.

Eh? I thought he's been in a bottom two sing off? Agreed re viewers apathy and boredom towards show in general though.

Yep, he's been in the bottom two twice, but never had the lowest number of votes ever as they both went to deadlock.

I,ve kept watching and to be honest mainly cause Rylan is fun and makes the show if he hadnt been there I,.d have recorded and watched on ff ... listening to the rest of them on a Sat night would depress the hell of out me

The question is would they have been even worse without him. We have had worse joke acts with no problem. The real problem is with the dire and dreary "credible" acts like James, Ella and Jahmene who have failed to excite any genuine enthusiasm from anyone.