Yes, the choice available across the mainstream channels is strong on Sundays and the audience is clearly torn as to what to watch which could be one possibility as to why the drama ratings are lower than desired.

I agree with both of those. While I cant really take to Selfridge there is no doubting its a classy production. I am enjoying Musketeers just about more than anything else on at the moment.

I don't think the 6pm showing on 5* is that bad an idea, if you watch home and away first look and also Neighbours why would you want to wait half an hour inbetween, it caters for those that watch both, it just means that with 5+1, on freeview alone you have 3 of the same episodes back to back.

Much more bizarre I'd the 3pm showing on 5* directly overlapping the 2.45pm showing on 5+1

Do you think if Mr Selfridge continuous with 4.5m+ overnight, consolidating to 6m+ ITV will commission a 3rd series? I now international sales are doing well, but is it enough to continue with another 10 eps?

I'm sorry but I do not get this kind of scheduling. Can't people work programming so they can have a clean run? They could have held Pound Shop Wars and Gently back a week and aired them on a Thursday night instead between 8 and 10. ITV does the same their award shows; stick it on a Wednesday night when Tuesday night is crying out for some stability and is full of filler already (although it's probably more profitable on a Wednesday night).

I watched Mr. Selfridge last week. I wanted to see what it was like. I agree with you. It is a classy and very good looking drama. Sadly though, I just found it utterly dull.

At those ratings and with the sales as you say then I dont think there is even a question to ask - it will definately be recommissioned. Knock another 0.5m off those predictions though and maybe not.

Yes but Mr. Selfridge cannot afford to decline much more and considering the increased opposition that's what I expect from tonight (unfortunately for The Musketeers as well though that starts from a higher base). The international sales could save it if it goes under 4m I suppose but I don't think ITV would leave it on Quarter One Sunday's - it might be pushed out in the summer or on a weeknight instead.

Perhaps starting watching it from series 1 would captured your interest more than 3rd episode in from the 2nd series.

I think its quite good... if overlong.

I think the series will benefit from a shorter run time

I would agree with H of De Vil's suggestion of maybe giving series one a go but I don't blame you if you don't want to do that - but I would say maybe give tonight's episode a go as it was far sharper with script and direction.

The problem it has since series 2 aired is the uphill struggle from starting after Midwife which lead into a big, heavily promoted BBC drama. And yet the consolidated figure was still below the 1st series finale by around 1million.

I think if it is commissioned then they should move it next year starting in late Feb, early March. BBC drama will be much less then.

Mr Selfridge isnt getting the kind of ratings BBC1/Itv should be getting in a Sunday 9pm slot in the winter. Next year it should be switched to Friday nights in Jan/Feb, which would give it a 8m Coro lead-in. It'd get around 4million viewers which would be decent for Friday nights and boost the night for them compared to what Morgans been rating. That way, they can air those 2 hour dramas I was talking about earlier, on Sunday nights.

would young adults really want news from their area in the itv breakfast licence also whos to say that lets get ready to tumble wont tumblein the ratings when it comes after the voice and that the schedule around it will crumble all of bbc1's eggs in 1 basket very possibly.

One positive light for ITV is the figure for DCI Banks. Should surely timeshift to around 7m+, that be its highest ever rating

The concept of Channel 4 Daily was innovative enough - a daily newspaper on TV, with main headlines, business news, cartoons and even a mini-Countdown section. Problem is, it was executed poorly and it was quite rigid. Plus I'm sure all of those links to external studios for the Business Report etc. would have made this venture quite expensive. Didn't really stand a chance versus tv-am and Breakfast News.

As for Steve Rider, yes, you'd have normally found him presenting F1 and a bit of motorsport (BTCC) back in the 90s for the BBC, as well as Grandstand. I would have said that was a plum sports broadcasting job, anchoring Grandstand in the 90s, but of course, F1 left the BBC in '96 and BTCC in 2001, and the general loss of many sports rights from BBC Sport in that period left Rider with very little live sport to present. Most weekends, I seem to remember it was just rugby.

Friday would be a terrible slot, it would just rate even lower than it is now. It just wouldn't fit. Hopefully ITV axe piers Morgan and replace it with a new factual series that rates at a similar level to POG Dogs.

While I can see the logic behind airing Mr. Selfridge on a Friday night what would they replace it with on a Sunday? They're already losing Splash! and Dancing on Ice from the weekend and that is quite a lot of hours (210 minutes from primetime in total) without replacing anything else. Your idea of moving the two hour dramas there isn't a bad one but that in turn would leave Wednesday night in a weaker position. It's like a domino effect.

Dramas have rated well on Fridays before. And its lead-in would be almost twice as big as what it is getting atm from DOI so there's no reason why it wouldnt be able to hold up around 4m.


Itv dont show Lewis or Foyles war on Wednesdays anyway. It'd only be Midsomer moving to Sundays for 3 or so episodes. Wednesdays could still air those other Midsomer episodes and new stuff.

The answer is: Commission more programmes. They need to look for a couple more 7m+ dramas (overnights), a couple of factual series (in the same league as Long Lost Family and POG Dogs), and comedies that can sustain 5m+.

The never-ending LE can get quite boring after a while.

Possibly but didn't it see a decline through the first episode?


I don't it think would - it would have a better lead in and less competition than now.

If it was that easy they'd be doing it already, though; it's not as if they're not trying to find these shows. Broadchurch might be ready for Quarter One in 2015 but I think they'll hold it back for Quarter Two. That's if it's not ready for Quarter Four 2014 - I'm sure they'd like to air it then.

Best ep so far for me, still a bit too much case of the week at the min though. Call The Midwife great as usual and have Mr Selfridge to watch now, will check out Babylon on demand at some point, a great choice on the main 5 tonight.

As for ratings I can see a small dip for the Musketeers and Selfridge with Babylon taking some viewers. Hopefully a good ep of Musketeers can minimalise the damage a week off could do.

Call The Midwife will be down from last week. The reason is it finished at 21.02 and 35 seconds, meaning it will be tape checked till 21.05. Those 2.5mins when it was trailers and Musketeers airing will drag down its average.

However in good news, the full slot average of The Musketeers will be boosted due to CTM over-running into its slot. With 8m or so watching CTM in the first few mins of the 9pm slot, hopefully we'll see a good rating tweeted from BBC Media Centre tomorrow before the lower tape-checked rtaings are out.

Request for ronant (tvratingsuk): please allow BBC Media Centre to tweet Musketeers' full slot rating first tomorrow morning so that's the figure which will be quoted and spread more rather than the tape-checked one. I'd sugget not tweeting the Musketeers tape-checked rating at all, if possible, otherwise tweet it after mid-day please.

Doesn't strike me as a Friday night show, would be tempted to move Benidorm back to Friday and give it the Thurs 9pm slot.