Hard to know what ITV can do to make an impact in the morning but that line-up is a good start. Hopefully bodes well for a programme with more of a news focus.

Charlotte Hawkins is a great get - she is a very good news broadcaster.

I was referring to Mary Berry, the average BBC viewer, as opposed to those who watch her baking shows

Best available should always be the policy.

Barbet is underused, underrated and already employed by ITV.

[quote=cylon6;71589821
On Channel 5, Bruce Willis sci-fi classic The Fifth Element brought in 818k (3.3%) at 6.45pm (136k/0.5%)..[/QUOTE]

For its millionth repeat

Yes, film Sundays on Five have been lacklustre in recent weeks.

Fifth Element and Erin Brockovich are two titles they repeat to death. Even I groaned at this uninspired lineup.

Just filling in a blank from the weekend. Broadcast reports that James DeGale's fight peaked with 1.5m (7.9%) viewers on Saturday at 10.10PM.

So although the average looks underwhelming at 800k, the main event proved a draw. By the time DeGale's fight was finished it was almost time for Match of the Day so I suspect the last three quarters of an hour dragged down the overall rating significantly.

I guess that the only small bit of comfort for the Beeb and ITV is that both appear to have found their level, albeit much lower than either channel would have hoped for.

It's mad to think how many stars quit bbc to join itv, everyone from Alan titchmarsh to Christine bleakley! Some esoecially the latter must regret it, I swear sussana said just last year if you cut her up it would be the bbc inside!! Fickle!!!

That's always been the case, though, because she's been doing various shows for ITV before now, like the awful Take On The Twisters. Most presenters happily work across the various channels in any case.


Yes, imaginatively called Weekend. Interesting to see it's made by Cactus TV who also make Saturday Kitchen, given it might be shown opposite it. And if it's shown any earlier, it seems a bit of a waste of time, to be honest, given Breakfast is even more dominant at the weekend than in the week, people aren't used to switching on to ITV at weekend breakfast times (and will be unlikely to do so if this is preceded by cartoons or something).

Breakfast will of course continue to succeed, and there's a lot to be said for having a team of presenters who work a couple of days each week as now Susanna's left there isn't going to be a massive chasm because they have other regular presenters who viewers already know and like. As opposed to when Chris Evans left The Big Breakfast and they never properly replaced him, and the format was so associated with him everyone until Johnny Vaughan just looked like a stand-in.

As MikeTV hasn't been around for a while, thought I'd point out that BARB has been updated for w/e 23rd Feb.

For me morning tv is far more content than personality driven. I watch BBC1 not because who is on (I have no idea from one day to the other who is scheduled to present) but because I am looking for a quick update on what is going on in the world.

So, I wish them all good luck, but I think ITV are going to struggle. People get into a habit, and for the majority of morning viewers looking for news, that habit is tuning into the BBC1 . Unless they (the BBC) make a massive f*** up, i just can't see a significant amount of people changing channel just because Susanna, Ben, Charlotte or Sean are now presenting.

It's not the presenters I wonder about - they get paid 3 or 4 times the money to do the same job - but ITV. Do they really think Susanna Reid is going to help them all that much? Sure, she's a golden girl at the minute but it's clearly going to fade. A year from now, some other BBC face will have been on Strictly and will have usurped Reid on the front pages of the Daily Mail. Poaching her seems a waste of a million quid that could be better spent on the actual programme.

I wonder if the EastEnders repeat will be dropped altogether if the BBC drop BBC 3 or if they will some how get it on BBC 4. With the plus 1 channel coming maybe there will be no need for the 10.30pm showing. If the repeat is dropped altogether it will be interesting to see what impact it has on the first transmission.

Has anyone got any recent figures for Daybreak ? The last I saw a few weeks ago it was teetering on 500,000.

Good Morning Britain has been received much more positively than I imagined.

I think ITV have made all the right moves here, whether it will help who knows but if it doesn't then you have to wonder if they'll just give up.

Doesn't hurt to have likeable on screen talent though, not saying it will work, but I hope it ends up worth it for ITV.

As for those moaning about Julia Bradbury fronting an ITV show, if you read the DS report it seems she has been very involved in the development which probably swung her desicion to switch from Countryfile. Rather than just poaching her for a Countryfile rip off.

It sounds to me like a rehash of the first Daybreak launch. Only difference is that Reid and Shepherd have wider appeal than Chiles and Bleakley.

I'm very surprised Charlotte is leaving Sky. I thought they were grooming her to be the next Burley. She will never be treated as A list at ITV where at Sky she was. Foolish on her part I reckon.

The Musketeers ratings

The Musketeers just under 6m for episode 6 with 5.91m.

I wish it would stop falling.

Charlotte was always going to be second fiddle to Eamonn on Sunrise. ITV is more high profile than Sky but the revamp will be soon primarily as Susanna Reid and friends.

It's a big shame as it's harmless, well-made fun. Last night's episode was one of the best and yet it got the lowest ratings.

Report: UK Eurovision singer to be Molly Smitten-Downes

Song will be introduced by Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills on a BBC red button / iplayer special at 7.25pm, with the video at 7.30pm.
Rather than screaming "Who?" hopefully people will keep an open mind until they've heard the song.

http://esctoday.com/77171/united-kin...es-copenhagen/

http://esctoday.com/77182/tonight-song-presentation-uk/

http://www.officialmolly.com/music/

Last week's Call the Midwife got 10.49m, timeshift holding up (1.69m) despite the higher overnight. Good to see it up again this week as well, after the "panic" the other week.

Series 1 average - 10.61m
Series 2 average - 10.47m
Series 3 average - 10.60m

Let's hope they make a better success than when they had Jeremy Beadle do GMTV.

Daybreak had some good ideas, but it was poorly executed. GMB's press release promises "engaging, news driven content" -- do they take us for mugs? How long before it becomes saturated with competitions and questions even a chimp could answer. There will not be any 'Susanna effect' -- if this means more air time for the lovely Louise, viewers will stick to BBC One.

Frankly Milkshake on Channel 5 is probably the most informative breakfast show there is. At least they don't patronise you.

For me the return of Ben Shepard is more surprising, GMTV ratings eroded massively when he effectively took over as the main male host. The man is woeful.


Weekend is airing 8.30 to 9.25. It screams contractual obligation to me. Scrambled didn't last long.

Have to say I did wonder about why him. Never struck me as particularly appealing or competent.