I agree, strong sounding factual commissions. It's definitely true to say that C5 does well with anything crime related, whether that be factual based or drama, so it makes sense to do more of it and Countdown to Murder will combine the two.

It's a really bog standard selection of films in Week 40, the usual ones they show on rotation. Nothing new and no Disney titles either. Although Conan wasn't listed in the press pack issued last week so they could yet reveal a premiere for Sunday 29th at 9pm, assuming films will be airing in that slot now.

Where did you hear that? The Bible could do well over Christmas. An interesting idea to show it then. In fact, I could see them having a much better Xmas than usual if that's the case.

It was in an article on The Guardians website that had a transcript of Richard Desmond's RTS speech which mentioned their upcoming shows, The Bible at Christmas I think is genius since it aired in America in the run up to Easter.

Channel 5 usually saves their film premieres for Autumn so hopefully they will have a good lineup. Not sure if they have the rights to it but Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs would be a good one to air considering the sequel is coming out soon. The Hunger Games would be do very well but its probably too soon to air on terrestrial.

Indeed, and of course Strictly has an extra celebrity (a 15th), which means that week 2 on Saturday 5 October will be 2 hours in duration or even a little longer. That will be Judges' Houses night which was 1 hour 50 minutes last year. I wouldn't like to see Strictly go any earlier than 18:30, which would mean a clash of some description or X Factor finishing about 22:20/22:25.

Then the first live X Factor on 12 October will presumably be another mammoth 2 hours 20 minutes+, and Strictly will only drop slightly below 2 hours. It'll be just like last year: the question is, what if anything will change? I think the BBC will stick to 18:30 and will not go earlier, and nor should they really, and we'll either have a clash or X Factor won't wrap up until 22:45! The likeliest outcome is a small clash and a slightly earlier finish for X Factor, but really it's swings and roundabouts in terms of their programme average.

Left months ago, currently controller of RTE 1.

To be honest, I can't see why they can't schedule it so Strictly doesn't run beyond 8pm and The X Factor doesn't start before 8pm. Strictly gets an optimum hour and The X Factor gets an optimum hour; one starts a little early while one finishes a little late.

I think very much the same about Britain's Got Talent and The Voice. Sometimes they need to compromise rather than going hell for leather. With live shows, people want to see them live; not on timeshift.


Never knew that; they kept that one quiet.

Thanks. Found the article. Whatever your views on Desmond, quite an interesting read to be fair. It's here if anyone missed it: http://www.theguardian.com/media/201...se-big-brother

Regarding both Stricly and X Factor, How did both channels cope when they had to fit in a main and a results show on a Saturday night ?

I've just watched a clip from X Factor series two, The results were at 835 after GameShow marathon, meaning the main show must of been
Done and dusted by 7.35,

Both shows went head to head in the early evening and for the results later on. In 2008, the BBC moved the Strictly results to Sunday to try and air them at a better time for families to watch before children's bed time. ITV saw the improved viewing figures and switched The X Factor's results to Sunday the following year while the BBC elected, for an unfathomable reason, to amalgamate the performance and results show on a Saturday night. In 2010 the Sunday night results returned for Strictly and, schedule wise, we reached the point where we are today.

Really? Steve Brookstein was a hugely successful hit wasn't he, and had loads of hits (1) even managed to be number 1 in the week between Christmas and new year when the only people buying records were people with record Vouchers from HMV and Woolworths back when such things existed.

And of course how could we forget international megastars Shayne Ward and Journey South from Series 2!!! Say what you want about The Voice potentially handing out a Eurovision spot to it's winner, but at least they'd be on Eurovision as a prize rather than as a last resort when Simon Cowell's 'magic' doesn't rub off after all..

Seriously, The X Factor's track-record is seriously overrated. Leona is the one always cited as 'the show's biggest superstar' - and even her career is basically dead now.

CBB final got 2.2million at 9pm and 1.7m at 11pm. Celebrity Superspa started with 1.1m. Including +1

2.2m incl +1?? That's the same as Wednesday's eviction. Odd.

Poor. CBB did no better than the regular version despite it being a Friday instead of a Monday, and I can see Superspa crashing across the week.

Higher than CBB10 which got 2.1m, but I don't understand how it got 2.2m which was the same as Wednesday, I expected 2.4m at least.

Hope Corrie hit 8m last night.

All-day shares (inc +1)

BBC One: 20.8%
BBC Two: 5.8%
ITV: 19.2% approx
Channel 4: 6.0% approx
Channel 5: 5.1%
Others: 43.1% approx, including:
- ITV3: 2.6%
- ITV2: 2.3%
- E4: 1.9%
- Film4: 1.5%

Good day for ITV: I'm guessing the Corries did well.

Last time they showed an Elton John special related program, it averaged 5.6million viewers. They'll have been expecting something strong once again for this new 90-min Elton John special.

Suggests Sir Elton was a hit last night

The RPG players predicted 3.1m on average for Elton. Good day for both main channels: nice to see BBC One and ITV get a combined 40.0%.

That's not what Elton got yesterday but what he got last time he had an Itv special. Im saying, maybe he got a similar kind of audience last night.

It's better for X Factor to face a clash rather than end up finishing at 22:45.

X Factor had 13 performances in the first live show last year - even then they didn't need any longer than two hours. I believe there'll be 12 again this year unless they waste time on a wildcard act.

It didn't get that though?

Edit. Neil! You got there in time!

Ken

The critics loved it last night. I'm not one who reads reviews. But they were unanimously positive.

I knew CBB wouldnt make high ratings. I expect the officials will be much higher.

That was his episode of Piers Morgan's Life Stories which aired out of the 17.2m rating X Factor Final in 2010 and was considered a rather disappointing rating.

3-4m for Elton last night I suspect.