A big night for Channel 4 tonight, I think. Britain's Got The Pop Factor probably wasn't cheap to make and the promotion certainly wouldn't have been so I expect they are looking for big ratings (at least by their standards).

Another interesting thing came up during the show, the first proper advert for Dead Set on E4. It actually looks pretty good, but they have stripped it over one week (ending on the Friday that will be halloween) which is an interesting move for a multi-channel.

At least you made it count

But please come back again more often

I reckon Britain's Got The Pop Talent will get 3m+ for the final part and 2-2.5m for the first part. It was up against very tough competition from BBC One and ITV1 but it will still do well.

All I can think of for the BBC is Robin Hood which is in production, but got shunted from its normal slot by Merlin.

They do both look short on big hitters for the New Year. There seems to be a massive emphasis on autumn, with both channels reeling out the shows, then nothing left after christmas. It happened last year - episodes of the National Lottery were pulling 7 million in January - March time. There was an audience there, and nothing for them to watch!

I can understand in ITV's case - I guess ad rates are lower after christmas than before, but theres no reason the BBC should be left so short.

Not strictly ratings related, but E4 have made some odd scheduling decisions for the next couple of weeks. For a start, the Monday 9pm movie is going to be repeated Tuesday at 9pm.

This isn't entirely unusual on multi-channel unfortunately, but it's rare for C4 to do it, and usually it's not shown in the exact same slot - say ITV2 will show a film at 11pm, then show it again the next night at 9pm, but never two nights in a row in the exact same slot. Anyway, they are doing this for 2 weeks.

The week after, they are running this schedule on Monday and Tuesday:

7:30 My Name is Earl
8:00 My Name is Earl
8:30 My Name is Earl
9:00 Friends
9:30 Friends

Presumably Dead Set will air straight after. Friends should provide a decent lead-in, but it does seem rather lazy and unimaginative - either that, or they are genuinely struggling to fill primetime slots.

I think they are stuck between two blocks of programming. They had the summer block of Ghost Whisperer, Smallville and One Tree Hill which is now finished but they have some time to fill before Dead Set.

I think they have a 5 part special of Hollyoaks lined up for November, which I'm presuming they are going to strip across the week as well. It's an interesting way of doing things. If these shows perform well, they could have a brilliant line-up some weeks but in the gaps they could be very weak.

I hate that they are planning on moving Friends, though. Obviously to give a lead-in to Dead Set, but Friends thrives because it is dependable. Everyone knows you can find it in that 8pm slot. I'd just show Dead Set at 9pm.

They certainly don't seem to have commissioned anywhere near as much for the autumn as ITV2 have.

That time was better for digital tv than terrestrial, all the big terrestrial stuff had aired at christmas so I was watching things like skins, torchwood's first look on bbc 3 and big brother: celebrity hijack on E4.

I think Britain's got the Pop Factor will have done well, especially for a C4 show

Gonna be interesting set of ratings coming through shortly...

ITV will probably win all-day/primetime shares IMO.

"Overnight Ratings Flash: Peter Kay show pulls in 5.5m for Channel 4. More soon."

Thanks DS!

Excellent ratings. It was a very strong show.

I thought it was one of the best ideas I've seen, and the fact Peter Kay was at the front of it brought viewers in. It would've knocked 'Frost', and probably 'Fry'. Or maybe not, maybe it catered for the younger viewers, and it shows there's a market for them.

This is why I've always said that ITV2, BBC3 and E4 should set their 'biggest' night to Sunday's, where they will pick up the mass younger audience.

Full report: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a1324...-draws-6m.html
Neil

Er...it wasn't

You got the F1 ratings?

Times:

Sat Qualifying: 05:15am and 14:00pm.
Sun Race: 04:30am and 15:00pm.

Thanks (BTW, superb ratings for Pop Factor).

Excellent ratings for Peter Kay. It's rare for Channel 4 to get a good rating at that time on a Sunday evening. Strictly Come Dancing really suffered as a result. With Top Gear returning to BBC2 on Sunday 2nd November, BBC1 might be better putting the Strictly results show on an hour earlier. And I hold my hands up, I thought A Touch Of Frost would have destroyed Stephen Fry in the ratings, but Fry's show held up well and severely dented Frost. In fact that must be one of the lowest ratings for a new episode of Frost ever.

Fascinating ratings this weekend. I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!

Thanks for the ratings reports Neil.

Brilliant rating for Peter Kay's show
I'm not that surprised because everyone I knew seemed to be watching it last night and it was a great show. Its shows with abit of promotion and a strong idea C4 can get good ratings.
I think the show has the potential and the audience to be made into a full series which could do well for C4

I find that interesting because that just so happens to be the date of the final F1 race.... I'm guessing there will be a lot of F1 promotion during this series of Top Gear.

Yes it was.

Have a look at this from Brand Republic.


http://www.brandrepublic.com/MediaAm...ia-AM-Bulletin

Even The Sun have called it disappointing. Clearly it was Peter Kay's weakest work yet...but certainly "strongest" in ratings terms.

I watched the first part but did not tune in for the results show - channel 4 will be thrilled with the ratings!! However it was a pile of tripe!!! Cat Deeley made a good host though!!

Grade calls for ITV celebrities to take pay cuts

LONDON - ITV boss Michael Grade wants stars such as Simon Cowell, leading 'Coronation Street' actors, and Ant and Dec to take pay cuts in the spirit of 'sharing the pain' after the broadcaster's decision to slash jobs.


Grade told the Sunday Times that the big names would not be paid as much as in the good times, when many were given lucrative long-term deals such as Cowell's £20m three-year contract agreed in December 2006.

I don't think any of them are worth what they get..£20million is way to excessive for anyone....looks like the days of big money are now over for these ego inflated stars..

If ITV do this then perhaps the BBC might follow suit..ie Jonathan Ross, Graham Norton, Chris Moyles..etc etc..

Brilliant rating for Britain's Got The Pop Factor! I expected it to rate well (around 3-4m), but not 6m ! I think it's Channel 4's most watched programme of 2008, even more than Big Brother- that's very impressive.

Both BBC1 and ITV1 saw big knocks due to it, particularly Stricty Come Dancing (7.37m (26.6%)) which is not good. Doesn't help the series average either.

It was a brilliant idea to have a Britains Got Pop Factor advert during the X Factor- I'm sure loads of people only became aware of the show due to that.

Ever since he stopped working with his writing partners from That Peter Kay Thing and Phoenix Nights, Neil Fitzmaurice & Dave Spikey, his shows have suffered.

They had a falling out I believe over the BAFTA's. Usually when a sitcom is nominated the producer(s), director(s) and writer(s) are nominated. For some reason he didn't put Neil and Dave's names on the nomination list and just nominated himself and the producer & director. That was an unforgiveable insult to his writing partners, and as much as I loved Phoenix Nights I was glad it lost to The Office because it meant he along with the other writers wouldn't have a BAFTA. They haven't worked together since.

Max & Paddy was weak, if Phoenix Nights was Porridge this show was like Going Straight, an inferior sequel. I'm not sure they worked together on Kay's new show but it doesn't sound like it. I could be wrong though.