After some intensive and extensive research (frigging about with Excel) it looks like ITV did win primetime (19:00-23:00) by about 23% to 20% including +1, a bit closer without +1.

However, considering BBC One had no big hitters in the mix it's a pretty good result for them and shows the value of their utility players which can chug along with 3-5m, along with Match of the Day which chalks up lovely shares in the last half-hour or so of prime.

EDIT: This time last year it was 26.2% v 21.2% (exc +1) according to rzt's chart so ITV are down a few points, not surprisingly.

Would expect higher than normal ratings for the news channels this evening given whats gone on in Belfast with Gerry Adams,plus his live news conference showing now.

Evening sessions of the Snooker could go on BBC3 apart from the semi final and final which will be on BBC2. Then the red button can show the other snooker table.

If BBC3 does survive then it's still the wrong place for Snooker - would be a better fit for BBC4.

Forget Clarkson, Iv just noticed the following sentence from the BBC News site:

The longest throw was by Dave Morrison, who tossed his knob 21.8m (71ft).

Mr Morrison is clearly very skilled, but I just think this might be the end of the BBC


For those not in the know a knob is a biscuit:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-27259589

.....the reporter must have had a field day with it

PS-yes I know its not ratings related but it just shows how a headline can make people click - currently most viewed on the site-and it did make me chuckle.

I doubt it. Would have been more had he been charged. That would be a big story.

BBC3 can survive but they can be forced to to show live sport when its on including Snooker. Sport has been on BBC3 in the past and the HD channel can reach more people then BBC4.

It would be the wrong demographics for BBC Three. Snooker skews incredibly old (I would think ).

I wouldn't have thought snooker was aimed at BBC3's demo though, not exactly a hip sport is it?

Damn, beaten by Neil

How do you know it will be a hit?

Didn't you know Samuel is actually the Controller of BBC1 using an alias ?

ITV dont really seem to be making as much hay with BGT this year because the rest of their Saturday night schedule is about as bad as I can remember. Not a vintage year so far at all.

Do keep up - everything on BBC1 is a hit.

First time watching Vera and I really like it. Brenda Blethyn is a terrific actress. Is it a popular show? Doesn't seem to be much talk of it on the forums!

About half its audience are aged over 60, probably why theres no talk about it on these forums, as most DS users are relatively young.

or niche and never going to rate highly

Is that also the reason nobody talks about SCD on here?

There should be a ratings thread drinking game for whenever a program is called niche, at least we'd all be too drunk to care then!

Because it's on the BBC silly

Vera surprised us last week with its best-ever overnight ratings: 5.8m (23.6%) or 6.2m (26.6%) including +1. It did very well.

His sources told him so.

It has always done well and last weeks overnight rating was 6m which is huge. I think it gets mentioned a lot in this forum. Its a good show.

Interested to see how Vera does tonight. A strong episode last week should ensure a minimal drop off. I think around 6million tonight.

There does not seem to be any obvious reason why it should drop although there was no reason why it started so high last week. Ratings last night BGT apart were pretty poor though so maybe there will be a bit of drop tonight as well.

Oh nice - inflicting Jeremy Kyle on children just home from school.

Steady night from BBC One. ITV need to get a grip and quickly. Channel 4 and Channel 5 were low but BBC Two did decently with the snooker. I don't think the final is going to be a classic though.