Do you really believe this. The X-Factor is all about that crap, hence why the same people being brought up and all the Judges having the same arguments. I'd guess all these stories are being leaked by ITV, SYCO and all the other PR agencies they no doubt are involved with and employ.

It thrives on this, which is why it annoys us that don't watch it, because we'll be saturated with the same predictable stories. I remember once saying on DS, that of course Cheryl will be back one day, it's all she has, and it'll all be churned up for publicity. Yet people ridiculed me saying how she'd never lower herself to working with Simon again after she was humiliated in such a way.

Always one of them say they'll sink Strictly, always there's rows amongst the judges, and a sacking that probably isn't a sacking. A judge won't be comfortable at auditions. There'll be a prostitute/escort scandal, someone lying about their age and an illegal immigrant/ benefit cheat. All leaked to the Press as big shocks when they probably know about them now.

It's much the same for all Reality shows, but X-factor takes the biscuit.

Mmm interesting as "Gridlock" isn't my most fond episodes so I wonder if that later time adds viewers. It will be interesting to see if this is the case going out later. I reckon that slot is great for the show, a pity it may go against "The X Factor" and not get a free run. Its quite aggressive of BBC one to pitch it against Simon Cowells show. I don't quite know what will happen in the overnights but "The X Factor" will not climb as high as it could do fighting "Doctor Who" going out, and give "Strictly Come Dancing" a chance of those headlines that's its leading if "Doctor Who" shaves viewers off itv

Louis Walsh wants to "kill off Strictly Come Dancing which is for old people". Well, the battle is on. He has started an all out ratings war between the BBC and Itv for Saturday Nights this Autumn and I thin the BBC are totally within their rights now to move SCD later and deliberately overlap further into XF to damage XF's ratings. SCD will be the victor, it's a much nicer more family oriented show which appeals to a large number of generations than XF.

Why do the shows have to be scheduled against each other at all ?

Tennant's debut got 9.84m in the finals - although that was a Christmas episode so perhaps is an anomaly, his first series episode achieved a final rating of 8.62m. Matt Smith's 'The Eleventh Hour' was in the same region (9.59m) after the finals - although it was around this time that the 'Doctor Who timeshifting' factor first really started becoming noticeable, that episode only achieved 8m in the overnights. So Peter needs an average of 9.85m to become the highest rating 'Doctor-debut' since 'Rose' (which incidentally achieved a final rating of 10.81m), but more realistically needs only above 8m on overnights to have a better start than Matt Smith did.

X Factor is only watched by an eighth of the population, if the BBC decide to roll over and not schedule anything of note just because an eighth of the population want to watch something on the other side then they probably aren't doing their job. Besides it's not like EastEnders and Corrie, X Factor and Doctor Who are very different shows - if you like both then well done you for having a diverse taste, but it's not like there's massive crossover in audiences, as evidenced by the fact X Factor was hardly dented at all by the 10m watching 'Day of the Doctor' last November.

Sorry - realised you were meaning SCD and X Factor. But still, fairly different audience profiles.

So that the BBC can dent XFs ratings, which will have repurcussions on Itv's ad revenue and lead to less investment in programming from Itv, resulting in bbc's share rising due to weakened competition.

I think Doctor Who being scheduled later demonstrates that the BBC is super confident about Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor and the brand new series, the most confident they've ever been since the revival in 2005 especially as it looks increasingly likely it will clash with X Factor - BBC don't seem too worried about that.

It never really sat right with me when they scheduled it as early as 6pm... People say about iPlayer and things, but surely if the BBC are really proud about a show they will put it at the centre piece of their schedule. Especially as Doctor Who is seen as one of their biggest ever shows.

Well I actually think both thrive on this publicity that's generated by the clash. Also Autumn leading into xmas is perfect timing for these shows.

It also helps add credibility to the idea that it isn't just a show for kids. We saw even in this very thread certain folks being insistent that it was a children's drama - thanks in no small part to, for example, the Christmas episode of 2012 being put out at 5:15pm(??!). But you'd be a lot harder pushed to argue that idea with (at least) the first episode finishing after 9pm.

BBC and ITV should compliment each other, so both main channels can remain strong. That's the best for the future of television. I don't know why someone would want one channel to suffer, as it would just result in complacency from the BBC and other channels which would equal poorer programming in the long run all round.

Going by the summer I really don't think the BBC has anything to worry about from ITV.

It's because they both want to be in the heart of primetime and have the best slot. For them to avoid each other completely, Strictly would have to start at 6pm or earlier, leaving X Factor with the better later slot, something, unsurprisingly, many in this thread look like to see. For both to have a good slot, a clash in unavoidable it's just about making it as small as possible. (Samuel's answer is a load of bollocks, as much as he wants it to the BBC don't work like that.)

Mike, do you have any influence with BARB? (ISTR you claimed not to, but i thought it was worth a try!).

The reason I ask is that there's these very interesting pages:

http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/week...nel-group?_s=4
http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new/mont...nel-group?_s=4

but no apparent option to view previous weeks/months

Any chance of passing on a request to them?

K

Are we living in a parallel universe? It is not in the BBC's interest to weaken ITV and they wouldn't be doing their job by doing so. In an ideal world The X Factor and SCD wouldn't clash at all and both parties would prefer it that way. Unfortunately due to the length of both shows there must be a part clash. If the BBC went for a direct clash then it may well kill off The X Factor. But they'd dent their own ratings in the process and make ITV bitter. ITV could just as easily have clashed Corrie with EE in the last couple of years in which the ITV soap has dominated the ratings. We'd have seen sub 3m for EE and it'd be on the brink of cancellation.

It is in the interests of both the BBC and ITV for the other to be strong to attract people to TV in general. Neither would work without the other.

Could we please cut out the X Factor chat, it's tedious. If you're so fascinated by the show then go to the proper forum.


If this, if that... people have been predicting the end for XF and IAC (and all manner of entertainment & reality shows) since 2007. And both shows rate higher now than they did in 2007. Eventually you'll be right. Much like a stopped clock will tell the right time every 12 hours.

Everyone said the IAC line-up was crap last year and it hit record numbers. X Factor was down all of 3% last year. Corrie will obviously rebound in the autumn to more than 7m although the trends suggest it will be down year on year.

Chances are that itv will do better in the autumn than they have the rest of the year. where they have turned in some dismal performances But DA, IAC and the soaps are coming off hard to beat years and they're missing 8 hours of Doc Martin doing 9m a week.

Between Broadchurch, Doc Martin, Lewis and Scott & Bailey, ITV are down around 30 hours of good drama ratings this year that they'll have on hand next year.

Your support for the BBC gets more baffling by the day as you plainly have no concept of public service whatsoever. Your support for a channel might be more suited to the insanely competitive world of Australian commercial broadcasting (who make the Americans look like tame, friendly pussycats).

I agree with that Zac. The whole idea of putting it out at 6 or as you reference 5.15 says alot about how the show is then viewed. I wonder how Capaldi would have felt knowing he was the lead in to "Tumble" at 6.30 on a sunny August night. And that was very unfair to Matt Smith and indeed Tennant at times that the times went to fit a dumb BBC schedulers clock rather that the programme.

Looking at the soap ratings for DSPRG, the last time EastEnders aired in its regular Tuesday slot and didn't clash with Emmerdale - 24th June. Ridiculous, and they start again in two weeks.

I look forward to seeing that trailer then.

Its on Digital Spys website in the TV section "Doctor Who gets secret trailer"

X-Factor has lowered the age limit to 14 this year, so if any youngsters get through it would mean ITV can't run live X-Factor shows past 10pm this year. If Strictly were to move later then X-Factor would be unable to move later in response. Only one live X-Factor show went past 10pm last year though.

Think thats true and we have seen many times strong shows against each other can both do well.

Where in the BBC's remit does it state one of its aims is to maximise audience share?

Can only agree with that - thats why I wish ED would drop further as it would serve ITV right.