Well it's tough. Strictly used to start at the ridiculously early time of 5.50pm and get lower ratings as a result. 8-10pm is a perfect time for The X Factor and it wasn't a problem for them when they were doing well last year starting at 8.15pm.


I think there are going to be two runs of Takeaway next year. Could work better as an X Factor lead in than Take Me Out as it has broader appeal. Would still come off second best against Strictly though.


Some of ITV's entertainment shows look decent if two of them can breakthrough that'd be great for them. They look more promising than some of BBC1's offerings.

I think what ruined it this year was the ridiculously late finishing time of 10:35pm.

The issue ITV1 has is when they flop, they really flop. BBC One tends to hold up much better and the question has to be asked why the default audience has moved across and why ITV1 appear unable to draw them back. I think of a lot of this is based on the cheap, easy programming they decide to put out - or at least, the cheap, easy programming the channel is now tainted with. Shaking off the image seems difficult and it doesn't help when the air shows such as I Love You've Been Framed in the heart of primetime. I know Christmas time is slightly different for them but it's hardly building up a decent reputation for the broadcaster.

This year I can only think of BBC One having two well publicised flops, TRB and Hunted, but for ITV1 there's the aptly named Biggest Loser, Lets Get Gold, 71DN, ROB, Superstar and the current Dale Winton series. OK they haven't had anything as disastrous as the summer of last year, which was bookended by the dying Popstar to Operastar and ended with the megaflop Show Me The Funny, but there seem to be plenty of LE/reality duds each year.
Also the ITV brand has been badly tarnished by the atrocious noughties years and even though they are getting better, many viewers have done a runner permanently.

Recently I posted what have been the ratings hits in Holland this year. Now turning to France, heres been their hits:

Most watched show of the year was Le Bal des Enfoirés with 13.3million, which was a live concert for charity with some of the biggest names in French music performing. The next 7 most watched shows were Euro 2012 matches and Political/news related shows which all got 10-13million. The most watched scripted series in France is The Mentalist. Its most watched episode got a huge 10.1m and all other episodes get 8m+.The most watched movie of the year was Clint Eastwood film Gran Torino which got 9.4million. Second most watched film was Ice Age 3 with 9.2m.

The most watched new French-language show was The Voice with 9.3million on 25 February. The most watched new French scripted show was Nos Chers Voisin [Our dear neighbours] which got 9.1million. From what I understand each episode only lasts for 4-7minutes and is shown daily about 7.45pm. Its a comedy drama series about different families all living in the same building in their apartments and the show is about about these different families from different backgrounds interacting with each other - one is a poor family, another one pensioners, another one had beautiful students etc. The different comedy scenes were hugely popular and ratings rose episode by episode.

Second most watched French language scripted show was Profilage [Profiling] with 7.8m. This is a crime series which started in 2009 about Chloé Saint-Laurent, a psychologist specializing in criminology. His expertise and exceptional sensitivity allow him to decipher the minds of murderers and victims to help police solve the most perplexing investigations.

House and Criminal Minds are also very popular shows in France, getting over 8million viewers most episodes. An episode of CSI NY also got over 8million and an episode of CSI Vegas got 7.8m. The French love their crime procedurals. Besides The Voice, the most popular entertainment series in France is Koh Lanto [or as we know it Survivor] which gets 7-8million viewers for most of its episodes. Danse avec les stars (Strictly come dancing) normally gets 5-6mill.

On digital television, the most watched show of the year was film The Bodyguard which got 2.1m for TMC. Other popular films were Pretty Woman and Armaggeddon which both for 1.8million.

The French ratings are interesting especially that imports like The Mentalist beat local content which is surprising and films still rate pretty well. Can we have Germany and Italy ratings roundup please.

Well said. Merlin wasn't surrounded by much hype, but it was a phenomenon and its five years is a remarkable achievement from Shine/BBC Wales.

I guess Dale Winton won't be getting the 'let's go to series!' call then

OT but what is up with Dale? Is it the face and botox? Something about how he's standing? I can't put my finger on it

Oh come off it, I'm currently watching a very highbrow informative documentary on ITV (at my gran's) cobbling together clips of and in depth interviews with all the big name animal stars who have featured on ITV this year....

This is what happens when you're up against a goliath with a ridiculous amount of guaranteed funding I'm only half joking.... The BBC has all this money (even with the cuts) and they're still not that much better! Makes me laugh how little shame both the BBC and its supporters have when bashing their competitiors.

Good grief...

Presumably it will be All Star Celebrity Catchphrase?

Heaven forbid that a classic show should be revived without turning it into a z-leb fest....

321 revival anyone?

Yes the grubby old ratings chasing BBC with its weekly current affairs magazine show for farmers and outdoor types crushing all those mass audience Sunday night entertainment offerings on ITV...

Nasty BBC, shame be upon it...

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Remind me of the purpose of 'The Voice', other than to desperately try and spoil ITV's party? And it didn't even really get that right. No justification for the BBC buying The Voice. Wouldn't have been justified to originate it, but buy it in too.... X Factor with spinning chairs. How they get away with it I do not know.

I'm quite happy to batter both when it's merited. The thing is the BBC with their guaranteed income were battered for years in the ratings. Programme rights, sports rights and talent on both sides of the camera have gone to commercial opposition for far more money. It hasn't always been easy for the BBC despite what many of its critics will say.

Now that is a brilliant reply!

The BBC's performance seems to be mainly down to ITV's. If ITV actually gets its act together, the BBC is deserted. Actually, what does the BBC even do?

I occasionally see some of 321 on Challenge. I look on it fondly even though I used to hate the programme when it was on.

Ted Rogers' jokes were a bit rubbish. Even a Yorkshire TV audience of ITV-loving pepperpots didn't laugh at them. They just used to clap politely.

Nonetheless, it was part variety show, part game show with the chance to win a big prize or a booby prize (a dustbin) and it was a big ratings hit in its day, so I think that with the right TV brain working on it, the right 21st century revamp, they could maybe create a Saturday Night Takeaway size hit.

No, it features ordinary members of the public. No celebrities.

I agree but the guaranteed income does mean the BBC is in a stronger position than it's commercial rivals now and probably will be forever more due to the increased opposition. And importantly so now; the BBC is becoming more and more vital when it comes to quality programming.


Quality programming. Though I remember one BBC director saying that a strong ITV is important to BBC One as it helps it to raise it's game; a weaker ITV tends to mean a weaker BBC One as they don't have to try so hard to claim good ratings.

How well do you see the new Star Academy doing?

Not really. Strictly is a cut above, with mostly A list talent.

But - I have always been consistent in questioning the need for celebrities on the show in order for it to be a hit; indeed, I don't particularly like the show, only watching it for Brucie, to whom I remain in awe. I have got into it a bit more the last couple of years because it just looks so good, is fantastic entertainment and has a real Saturday night buzz lacking in all other shows.

Surely you jest

321 was a hit with the core ITV demographic because, although completely stumped by it, they felt good about themselves when watching it, as if vicariously sitting a Mensa test or completing The Times crossword.

I guess Loose Women and Jeremy Kyle perform a similar job for the demographic who would like to say they watch Question Time but would feel a bit out of their depth if they tried it.

Have to agree, and it's great to see some new series getting lengthy runs - I assumed Boradchurch was yet another throwaway three parter. I do think ITV have taken far more risks lately with drama but sadly they rarely pay off.


Completely agree - celebrities add nothing to game shows and just defeat the point of them, and I've said for ages that ITV should just get loads of 30-minute editions of Family Fortunes and now Catchphrase in the can to prop up the schedules as and when required. As much as I'd love ITV to make a mark in comedy again realistically I think making the Thursday 8.30pm slot a gameshow slot would work much better for them.