You mean FOURTH year running

Well to all those saying EastEnders is the weak part of BBC1 line up and it has no place on xmas day your soooooooooo wrong.

EastEnders stays firm and keeps it's place in the Christmas day line up.

There's a possibility of Call the Midwife, Doctor Who or even Corrie timeshifting past EE but I don't think Downton would manage it. Baring in mind EE is also likely to timeshift, Downton would need to pull off something spectacular to become the top show.

Thanks, I would love Call The Midwife to come out on top. I know it is different to what we are used too on Christmas Day, but I thought it was outstanding!

The Vicar Of Dibley was always the bigger show in terms of ratings, but even at its peak it wasn't lauded the way AB Fab was at its peak. Quite a few awards for both though but Dibley never won a BAFTA.

NEXT YEAR I would do this

5:30pm-W&G or something
6:00pm-EastEnders
6:30pm-Dr Who
7:30pm-Strictly
8:30pm-Miranda
9:00pm-EastEnders
9:30pm-The Royle Family/other comedy comeback
10:30pm-Mrs Browns Boys
11:15pm-News
11:30pm-Film

Also, have we got the list of the top rated shows over the Christmas week? I remember one last year, thought it was fantastic.

so the lesson for the schedulers is... cram the channels with soaps on Christmas day...how depressing. Damn Eastenders!

I'm recording Doors Open and The Girl at 9pm. Family here, so won't even be able to catch up on last night's recordings (Royle, CTM and Downton).

Dibley is much more fondly remembered than the overrated Ab Fab ever was. The late night ratings these past two nights is proof of that. And the few times it has been brought back in recent years it has rated well and the quality has been great.

But it did have a perfect ending and it may be better to leave it there.


Irish audiences are much more laidback in comparison to the BBC. The Daily Heil would have a field day.

9.30pm on Boxing Day, which is still family time where watersheds should be shifted back to at least 10pm, is too early.

Next year, BBC should go with this:

17:00 Strictly Come Dancing
18:30 Animation
19:00 Doctor Who
20:00 EastEnders
20:30 Miranda
21:00 EastEnders
21:30 Mrs Brown's Boys
22:15 Some Kind of Comedy Stand up Show, does not have to be MM.

Just taking a closer look at the Call the Midwife vs Downton Abbey overnights. Call the Midwife averaged 6.90m between 7:30pm and 8:30pm before rising to 8.71m during the final 15minutes when ITV went to news. Downton Abbey averaged 6.83m across its entire slot. They were practically neck and neck really. ITV news at 8:30pm gave Call the Midwife a big peak at the end. Also Downton had a further 488k on +1 in addition to the 6.83m.

CTM: 7:30pm-8:30pm - 6.90m
CTM: 8:30pm-8:45pm - 8.71m
DA: 8:45pm-9:45pm - 6.83m
+1: 488k

Downton got a huge timeshift last year and is close with Midwife, so if Midwife can potentially timeshift past EastEnders as you say then so can Downton. EE could just about hold on though.

Brace yourselves!!

Christmas Day 2012 overnights

1 .. 9.4 (34.3%) .. EastEnders 20:45 BBC One
2 .. 8.6 (33.5%) .. Coronation Street 19:30 ITV 1
3 .. 7.8 (33.3%) .. Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 18:15 BBC One
4 .. 7.7 (30.1%) .. The Royle Family Christmas Special 21:45 BBC One
5 .. 7.6 (33.9%) .. Doctor Who 17:15 BBC One
6 .. 7.3 (28.3%) .. Call the Midwife 19:30 BBC One
7 .. 6.8 (25.9%) .. Downton Abbey 20:45 ITV 1
8 .. 6.1 (30.3%) .. BBC News 22:45 BBC One
9 .. 6.0 (24.7%) .. Emmerdale 19:00 ITV 1
10 . 5.6 (28.8%) .. BBC News 17:00 BBC One
11 .. 5.6 (21.6%) .. ITV News & Weather 20:30 ITV 1
12 .. 4.9 (29.7%) .. Shrek Forever After 15:15 BBC One
13 .. 4.7 (25.3%) .. Room on the Broom 16:30 BBC One
14 .. 4.7 (20.7%) .. Emmerdale 17:30 ITV 1
15 .. 4.1 (18.2%) .. Paul O'Grady: For The Love of Dogs at Christmas 18:00 ITV 1
16 .. 3.9 (26.6%) .. Top of the Pops Christmas 14:00 BBC One
17 .. 3.6 (28.0%) .. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa 12:45 BBC One
18 .. 3.2 (20.8%) .. The Vicar of Dibley 23:00 BBC One
19 .. 3.1 (15.3%) .. New You've Been Framed! at Christmas 17:00 ITV 1
20 . 2.9 (17.1%) .. Tangled 15:15 ITV 1
21 . 2.5 (20.7%) .. Shrek the Halls 12:15 BBC One
22 . 2.2 (24.0%) .. The Gruffalo 09:00 BBC One
23 . 2.2 ( 8.9%) .. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 17:45 Channel 4
24 . 2.0 (11.9%) .. HM The Queen 15:00 ITV 1
25 . 2.0 (14.0%) .. Toy Story 13:30 ITV 1
26 . 2.0 (16.9%) .. Only Fools and Horses 11:00 BBC One
27 . 1.7 (16.1%) .. Aladdin 09:30 ITV 1
28 . 1.7 (17.3%) .. Peter Rabbit's Christmas Tale: The Tale of the Christmas Deliveries 09:30 BBC One
29 . 1.6 (11.6%) .. The Snowman and the Snowdog 14:00 Channel 4
30 . 1.6 ( 6.0%) .. Alan Carr: Chatty Man Christmas Special 21:00 Channel 4
31 . 1.4 ( 7.4%) .. Deal or No Deal's Big Christmas Dinner 16:30 Channel 4
32 . 1.4 ( 5.5%) .. Blackadder's Christmas Carol 20:00 BBC Two
33 . 1.4 (13.2%) .. Have I Got a Bit More News for You Christmas Special 23:45 BBC One
34 . 1.3 ( 4.9%) .. The Choir: A Year with the Military Wives 20:45 BBC Two
35 . 1.3 (10.9%) .. The Nation's Favourite Christmas Song 11:15 ITV 1
36 . 1.3 ( 5.7%) .. The Sarah Millican Television Programme 22:30 BBC Two
37 . 1.2 ( 4.8%) .. Dad's Army 19:30 BBC Two
38 . 1.2 ( 4.7%) .. QI XL 21:45 BBC Two
39 . 1.2 (30.0%) .. Breakfast 06:00 BBC One
40 . 1.2 ( 5.0%) .. Rude Tube: Christmas Cracker 22:00 Channel 4
41 . 1.2 ( 9.3%) .. Couples Retreat 22:45 ITV 1
42 . 1.1 ( 7.5%) .. The Christmas No.1 Story 23:00 BBC Two
43 . 1.1 ( 4.5%) .. 50 Years of Bond Cars: A Top Gear Special 18:30 BBC Two
44 . 0.9 ( 7.7%) .. Gordon's Christmas Cookalong Live 10:00 Channel 4
45 . 0.9 ( 5.7%) .. Scrooged 14:30 Channel 4
46 . 0.9 ( 7.0%) .. ITV News & Weather 13:15 ITV 1
47 . 0.9 ( 7.9%) .. Christmas Day Eucharist 10:00 BBC One
48 . 0.9 ( 8.1%) .. Attenborough's Ark: Natural World Special 09:45 BBC Two
49 . 0.8 ( 3.4%) .. Channel 4 News / 4thought.tv 17:30 Channel 4
50 . 0.8 ( 6.2%) .. Text Santa: One More Time 12:45 ITV 1
51 . 0.8 ( 8.6%) .. Horton Hears a Who 08:15 Channel 4
52 . 0.7 ( 6.3%) .. C4's 30 Greatest Comedy Shows 23:00 Channel 4
53 . 0.7 ( 4.2%) .. Ben-Hur 13:15 Five
54 . 0.6 ( 2.5%) .. Eddie Stobart: Trucks, Trailers and Tinsel 20:00 Five
55 . 0.6 ( 4.1%) .. Singin' in the Rain 13:30 BBC Two
56 . 0.6 ( 2.7%) .. Arena: Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel 17:30 BBC Two
57 . 0.6 ( 5.1%) .. Carols from King's 10:45 BBC Two
58 . 0.6 ( 2.4%) .. The Santa Incident 17:30 Five
59 . 0.5 (10.4%) .. The Simpsons 07:45 Channel 4
60 . 0.5 ( 4.8%) .. Gone with the Wind 09:00 Five
61 . 0.5 ( 2.0%) .. Eddie Stobart: Christmas Delivery 21:00 Five
62 . 0.5 (10.7%) .. Cold Mountain 24:30 BBC One
63 . 0.5 ( 7.1%) .. Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders 08:00 ITV 1
64 . 0.5 ( 2.0%) .. Eddie Stobart's Christmas Cracker 19:00 Five
65 . 0.5 ( 3.0%) .. Greatest Christmas TV Moments 22:00 Five
66 . 0.5 ( 5.0%) .. Attenborough and the Giant Egg 08:45 BBC Two
67 . 0.4 ( 3.6%) .. On the Town 12:00 BBC Two
68 . 0.4 ( 5.7%) .. TOTP2: Christmas 2012 24:00 BBC Two
69 . 0.4 ( 9.9%) .. The Simpsons 07:30 Channel 4
70 . 0.3 ( 6.8%) .. Airplane! 25:00 Channel 4
71 . 0.2 (10.6%) .. Homeland 02:15 Channel 4
72 . 0.2 ( 8.2%) .. Father Christmas 07:00 Channel 4
73 . 0.2 ( 1.2%) .. Cenerentola 15:15 BBC Two
74 . 0.2 ( 3.3%) .. Horrible Histories: Horrible Christmas 08:00 BBC Two
75 . 0.2 (12.6%) .. BBC News 02:45 BBC One
76 . 0.1 ( 3.4%) .. Almost Naked Animals 07:45 ITV 1
77 . 0.1 ( 3.5%) .. Christmas Carols on ITV 25:00 ITV 1
78 . 0.1 ( 2.4%) .. Peppa Pig 08:15 Five
79 . 0.1 ( 2.5%) .. Fifi and the Flowertots 08:00 Five
80 . 0.1 ( 2.9%) .. Noddy in Toyland 07:45 Five
81 . 0.1 ( 1.8%) .. Peppa Pig / Roary the Racing Car 08:30 Five
82 . 0.1 (12.2%) .. Deal or No Deal's Big Christmas Dinner 04:00 Channel 4
83 . 0.1 ( 3.0%) .. 12 Again 07:30 BBC Two
84 . 0.1 ( 3.0%) .. Thomas & Friends 07:30 Five
85 . 0.1 ( 8.1%) .. Get the Picture 03:30 Channel 4
86 . 0.1 ( 1.6%) .. The Story of Tracy Beaker 08:30 BBC Two
87 . 0.1 ( 3.0%) .. Almost Naked Animals 07:30 ITV 1
88 . 0.1 ( 8.7%) .. New Love 03:45 Channel 4
89 . 0.1 ( 3.4%) .. Fleabag Monkeyface 07:15 ITV 1
90 . 0.1 ( 2.2%) .. SuperCasino 25:00 Five
91 . 0.1 ( 2.5%) .. The Hunchback of Notre Dame 25:30 BBC Two
92 . 0.1 ( 3.9%) .. Peppa Pig / Olive the Ostrich 06:45 Five
93 . 0.1 ( 2.9%) .. Fleabag Monkeyface 07:00 ITV 1
94 . 0.1 ( 5.6%) .. Thomas & Friends 06:00 Five
95 . 0.1 ( 6.5%) .. Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:30 Five
96 . 0.1 ( 4.2%) .. Jelly Jamm 06:30 Five
97 . 0.1 ( 7.0%) .. 90210 05:00 Channel 4
98 . 0.1 ( 5.8%) .. The Hoobs 05:45 Channel 4
99 . 0.1 ( 1.9%) .. The Mr. Men Show 07:15 Five
100 . 0.1 ( 2.9%) .. The Hive / Canimals 06:45 ITV 1
101 . 0.1 ( 2.2%) .. Little Princess / Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom 07:00 Five
102 . 0.1 ( 3.7%) .. Igam Ogam / Fireman Sam 06:15 Five
103 . 0.1 ( 3.5%) .. Little Wolf 06:00 Channel 4
104 . 0.0 ( 2.6%) .. Lost and Found 06:30 Channel 4
105 . 0.0 ( 2.7%) .. The Hive / The Hive 06:30 ITV 1
106 . 0.0 ( 1.6%) .. The Slammer 07:00 BBC Two
107 . 0.0 ( 3.5%) .. Michaela's Wild Challenge 05:15 Five
108 . 0.0 ( 2.0%) .. ITV Nightscreen 02:30 ITV 1
109 . 0.0 ( 1.4%) .. Babar and the Adventures of Badou 06:15 ITV 1
110 . 0.0 ( 1.7%) .. House Doctor 04:00 Five
111 . 0.0 ( 1.6%) .. HouseBusters 04:15 Five
112 . 0.0 ( 1.6%) .. The Great Artists 04:45 Five
113 . 0.0 ( 0.5%) .. The Cow That Almost Missed Christmas 06:30 BBC Two
114 . 0.0 ( 0.7%) .. Babar and the Adventures of Badou 06:00 ITV 1
115 . 0.0 ( 0.1%) .. Let's Celebrate 06:15 BBC Two
116 . 0.0 ( 0.1%) .. Baby Jake 06:00 BBC Two

Downton will easily timeshift more than CtM when the ads are stripped out. More people will have recorded also due to said ads.

As mentioned however this timeshift is pretty useless to ITV and its advertising partners.

Not at all.
Everything performed well last night. EastEnders though has always done well on xmas day (even during it's happier xmas with No deaths or Drama)

Looks like a good line up on BBC1 tonight again

EastEnders,Miranda,Mrs Browns Boys

Jake Kanter ‏@Jake_Kanter

BBC1’s Xmas day viewing share was 26.84%, a percentage point more than 2011’s 25.69%. ITV1’s was 17.75%, down drastically on 2011’s 20.84%.

Oh I agree.

But looking at the schedule later in the day, blame the Great God that is football ....

Dibley was always more of a family show. Ab Fab, which was very much of its time, has dated and the remake last Christmas didn't work too well even if ratings were decent. Also it's interesting the BBC can't twist Lucas and Walliams arms to make another Come Fly With Me, which was a big hit 2 years ago.

Can't really understand the huge shock? I said last night the two big soaps and the two big dramas could cancel each other out. Well, in the end, the two big soaps simply wound up knocking the dramas on the head. Aside from that, there was nothing altogether shocking in the numbers - Strictly and Who look similar to last year in earlier slots, and the Royles faced strong competition for the first time I can remember.

Clearly, we'll all want to bash the scheduling on here as though it was the difference between 7m and 10m. In reality, I doubt that's the case. However, I would concede that having seen the crossover between Strictly and CTM last night, it was a bit jarring. The sight of umbilical cords in the first five minutes would likely have scared off the kids (or anyone with kids in the room) - and at 7.30 on Christmas Day, that obviously means it doesn't fit. It would have worked better in a later slot - either on Christmas Day, or more suitably, tonight.

What were the total viewership numbers like last night, and how do they compare to some of the big-rating Christmas Days a few years ago? It seems to me like the day is becoming a time-shifters paradise, especially with all the feature-length dramas that rather require your undivided attention. I expect we'll see add-on figures smashing records again come early January.

The Queen in 3D 36,000

Do you have the RTE ratings ?

And this was about as high-profile as it could possibly get for a 3D broadcast with those shots of Her Majesty wearing the 3D glasses and watching herself back to see what it was like.

Something no one has mentioned. BBC One had big hitters between 17:15 and 22:45 - that's five and a half hours. ITV1 had Emmerdale, Corrie and Downton Abbey. That's four hours right there (about 3 hours removing adverts).

Eight and a half hours. On Christmas Day, people are not going to watch TV for that long are they? In previous years, ITV1 did not have Downton Abbey (-2 hours) whilst I'm pretty certain BBC One did not have 5 and a half hours consistently like that. (-0.5 hours)

Im expecting a 10+ rating tonight....but for what i wonder

I can't say a lot more. Call the Midwife and Downton are hugely popular but, they're not suited to Christmas Day, especially CTM. They'll both timeshift massively, but neither were whole-family viewing, so to be honest, i'm glad of the ratings. BBC1's schedule seemed relentlessly miserable, it desperately needed Miranda/Mrs Brown/Outnumbered.

Anyhow, i'm £1,360.34 richer today thanks to Shrek Forever After and EastEnders so quite happy.