Its a good rating for Ross, but it's obvious why it rated a million higher than usual:

1. No Match of the Day on BBC1 so much weaker competition
2. Big name guests, probably wont get any bigger for the rest of the series
3. Trailed a lot as it was the first episode of the series

Just to remind you, last Autumns series of Jonatahn Ross actually also started with 3.8million in similar cicumstances. But then it dipped to 2-3m most weeks afterwards.

How are we supposed to make comparisons with last week, last year, whatever, without looking them up? This is a ratings thread, and you're objecting to ratings being quoted?

Great, a morning of Samuel's Hitler-style delivery of facts from a tinfoiled room.

Low for X Factor, but let's look at it like this:

-About 8 million across MORE than 2 hours is still, let's be real, great in its own right. We can't help that X Factor reached such huge heights before - that Strictly never will - and so will always be judged as such. It is obviously the more tired show, though.

-What the hell did the lead-in get? We have no 6m+ Harry Hill any more. There is nothing to aid it, whereas Strictly has strong ratings bolstering either side. This is ITV's own fault and to BBC1's merit, but it's a fact that absolutely will boost Strictly and take away from X Factor regardless of the quality of either show.

-A headstart from the biggest entertainment show, THEN clashing for a considerable time - yes, that's going to help matters isn't it? Look at the EE vs ED clashes - even when ED was having a bad year and a EE a good one, a clash would still often result in an ED win, just because it's on first.

-There are a million repeats of X Factor which collectively make quite a nice rating I'm sure. No such repeats for Strictly.

Of course, most of this is ignored in favour of "it's rubbish, people are bored" - yes there is an element of people losing interest, but I genuinely think there is more against X Factor this year than that alone.

Until ITV have a strong Saturday schedule (Strictly is not doing that well on its own!), if there were no repeats and if there was no clash, things would be a little better. But no clash means it finishing too late (also detrimental). And going earlier, with a longer clash, would only work if surrounded by strong shows. Even then, ITV wouldn't be happy if the overall average was brought down, even if Strictly was dented. So it's tricky. Ideally, Strictly needs to be off air by 8. But it's not happening.

I hardly think the XF clash was going to hurt Strictly, as we know that SCD being on first was going to have the edge.

Maybe the Atlantis rating has been reported, but not been found because of all this discussion about XF & SCD.

No doubt about it, Atlantis is down again. Otherwise one of the 7 BBC Pr people wouldve tweeted the rating. Disappointing really that it is letting down the BBC1 lineup a little bit and not taking advantage of the 10m+ lead-in.

Think your find So Graham Norton was around long before Friday Nifght With Jonathan Ross

As somebody who doesn't post in this thread but regularly checks it out just for the viewing figures, could I pitch the idea of running two different viewing figure threads - one with "discussion" and one just purely for the numbers?

Would be good to keep up with the figures without having to put up with drivel from Samuel and others.

Atlantis seems to be more consistent in its criticism now. Settling at a "it's starting to grow on me" style criticism rather than "It's pants" style criticism. It will be a shame if it's dropped too much because it will leave a gaping hole in BBC1's post Strictly schedule if it's cancelled.

The one concern I do have is that if the BBC didn't have Atlantis next year, they would likely air DW at 6.45pm and have SCD on at 7.30pm, deliberately clashing with XF. That would ultimately damage both shows and give little choice for viewers.

Its not that, its the fact somebody who quite clearly hates a show/channel has them to hand ready to pounce on any data its quite sad in my opinion. I personally can't stand Coronation Street but i dont come here everyday slagging it off comparing LFL etc because thats just absurd to do so. There's so much more to life.

I suppose if you look at it like that, it's not a crisis. But, to be down year on year after being up year on year at the auditions stage, isn't great.


The Chase must have gotten about 2m. It's not a strong enough show to face Strictly.


Are you suggesting they avoid each other completely?

Strictly wins Saturdays, X Factor wins Sundays. If the latter was truly hated people wouldn't tune in on Sunday...but they do. If that changes there's a crisis. But it hasn't so it isn't.

Perhaps you could do this sort of breakdown as to why Strictly rated higher.

1 Easy competition from ITV
2 Got the best slot where the audience can build as the show goes along
3 Dented XF first 30minutes

You're not the only one who's suggested this.

It would be a bit messy in the sense that we'd end up taking figures from here and posting it onto the other thread, to discuss.

XFactor doesnt always win Sundays. Towards the second half of last series, SCD was beating XF in the overnights. It also beat XF last week. I would say, SCD might surprise you from next Sunday [once it doesnt face Coro St] and could beat XF.


I agree with some of this regarding SCD. Its a fact. Facing sub3m competition from Itv is much easier nowadays for SCD compared to when 6m used to watch Harry Hill. It helps SCD, there's no doubt about it. Also SCD has overall a betetr slot than XF, it's true. Im not denying any of that.

I'm enjoying it and if it settles around 4.5m per episode I think it will come back and it should grow from there. That's what Merlin did.

Samuel once again speaking Bollocks about the situation.

Ken

To be fair HDV you had a go at me the other day for 'any excuse to slag off ITV' but have since consistently slagged off both Samuel and the BBC. I think you should really think about what you post at times.

I think you'll find The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross started the ball rolling for Friday night chat on Channel 4 in the early eighties. You might be too young to remember it. He reworked Late Night with Letterman for the UK.

He wasn't talking about SCD. He was talking about JR. And he's right. Even you should be able to see that.

I like Graham Norton, his show was great this past Friday. But he has got really weak guests next week with the likes of "Let's miss the start of Hey Jude at the Olympic Ceremony" Paul McCartney. I doubt his show will rate as high as it did for his first show. It's called facts.

Well done Samuel, if you were more like this people wouldn't be so fed up of you

Exactly!

Its true though, isnt it. SCD faces 2-3m competition for 90mins of its duration, XF faces 4.5m+ for most of its duration [sometimes as high as 10m during the clash period]. Obviously SCD is in the better position competition-wise. But thats not BBC1's problem, thats Itv's problem to fix.

Didn't someone on here say we should wait till Celebrity Chase was up against SCD. How's it doing

I expect now that ITV accept that SCD is the bigger show and will try and maintain what they have. Ending at gone 2200 is way too late. I am sure there are ways they can change the show but probably not without losing revenue.

I'm enjoying it too. I think it's as bonkers as something like Corrie Does Shakespeare, but it's hugely enjoyable and great escapism. I think it will also be in the mid-high 4m. The consolidated ratings must surely clear it over the 6m mark though.

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The first part of what you say speaks volumes when facing competiton a show will be affected in the ratings.

X factor faced the end of striclty/national lottery/casulty and atlantis.

SCD only faced The chase/Fool Britiania and the start of x factor which isn't as bad becuase SCd had a huge headstart.

Edit; wrong quote reffering to Samueal implying SCD ratings will be down because of competition with corrie.