They have a full series of Babylon (a police drama), in a few weeks. Didn't think much of the pilot. The problem with Channel 4's recent dramas is that they rate badly. It was embarrassing how badly New World did and Utopia never caught on. Next year could be better for tthem. New Russell T Davies drama Banana, costume drama Indian Summer with Julie Walters and a new police drama by Paul Abbott called No Offence. They might be more accessible than what they've put out over the last few years.

Incidentally I do think it's time for Peter Fincham to go.

Whether you should succeed him... well... why not Sally?

I'm a bit late to the party, but just seen the rating for Bake Off... what an absolutely stonking, incredible rating for Bake Off! Absolutely flabbergasted by how well that final rated! I thought it would have an overnight rating of 10m, not over 12m!! It's simply sensational.

The show deserves to be the most watched non sports programme though. It's such a cosy, warm show. Everything about it just works - from the judges, to the presenters, to the contestants. It celebrates some great talent and there's a real sense of friendly competition. Perfect feel good entertainment.

BBC One must be delighted by its success, especially Janice Hadlow who originally commissioned it in the first place. It's a mid week monster hit too! When was the last time there was such a freakish rater like this at the heart of the week?! I think it's great there is a midweek entertainment show now which provides real event viewing and water cooler moments. We're so used to just seeing these types of programmes on a weekend these days.

There must be a Bake Off Christmas special greenlit now for this Christmas Day surely?!

I have both feet firmly on the ground, and have a firm (but healthy) grip on reality.

I also have a sense of humour.

Plus an understanding of how some people might see the BBC putting out such low-grade programming on the main BBC entertainment channel at peaktime, and might be asking questions such as "Why is this on at all?" and "Is this what they spend the Licence Fee on?" and "This stuff is what I now expect from Channel Four or some low-rent digital channel, not the BBC" as well as "There's nowt on apart from this rubbish, and ro think that they axed insert programme name here"

All in all, adding to the perception that the BBC has lost its way where BBC one is concerned (with a few notable exceptions).

Leading to more people taking a more negative attitude towards it

And more people (including influential MPs and Ministers) seeing that the BBC is becoming more and more like a commercial broadcaster.

And the Christmas before, but that didn't stop them.

They go in heavily with the fan route every year, how the hell do you think One Direction got so far. In any case I'd hazard a guess that not many of those act's new followers are unique, so considering how many young social media-savvy viewers X Factor gets those stats aren't really that impressive at all.

The Apprentice does get a repeat doesn't it? On BBC Three? I must be going mad. Very little repeat value in Strictly though, what with it being a live show with a heavy emphasis on the public vote which closes so soon after the Saturday live show goes out.

Do try and treat other users with respect.

Fat chance. 'Thou must no talk badly about the BBC'

Really looking forward to The X Factor this weekend and by the looks of it, best episode of the series for Doctor Who.

This series has been a marked improvement on all the previous Matt Smith era. Only the 1st episode let it down.

Cucumber does look promising and I like the sound of Indian Summer, I think Channel 4 has lacked returnable drama series which they have been lacking for a while aside from Shameless which they drove into the ground.

Did something catch fire?

A power cut, a car crash and somebody dies falling down the stairs.

Just like any old Christmas party in Emmerdale.

How do people think The Apprentice will do? It hasn't had an Autumn run since 2010, hasn't been on in over a year and has had no Junior Apprentice inbetween. Will there be renewed interest?

Shameless was a complete mess by the end. It ran too long in terms of years and episodes a series by the end. Channel 4 also have This Is England 90 next year, a drama that did well for them in the past. One of their dramas next year from that list must surely rate well next year.

ITV have got their act together and given Emmerdale a trailer for next week:

http://youtu.be/YarqI1KIorA

Saturday 25th October
18:30-20:15 - Strictly Come Dancing
20:00-22:00 - X Factor
20:15-21:10 - Doctor Who

Doctor Who is currently down for 55 minutes, not sure if it'll stay that way but it is one of the episodes I've been looking forward to since the start - "In the Forest of the Night".

Also it looks like Citizen Khan will be replacing Would I Lie to You? on the 31st, the programme info has changed to 8.30pm-9pm and on digiguide it's a TBA slot. Odd they're not letting WILTY finish its run.

Well, this is very embarrassing: http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/201...issued/313040/

Thankfully (for us!), this is US related and not UK related.

Aren't Nielsen involved over here too? if so, they might be using the same software...

K

No 8.30pm Panorama on the Monday (it might be on at 9pm), so maybe Would I Lie can air there.

As we go into Autumn the clashes will shrink and as TXF should be stronger this year with the LIVE shows we could be looking at some good figures. The final could generate the highest rating of the series.

That is bad! Very bad indeed! You know how some British ratings have seemed weird the last few weeks? Could it be a similar thing here?

A 40-minute Casualty and a 20-minute Lottery show, too.

Did not notice that. The news is 10 minutes instead of 20 as well. So, Doctor Who will almost certainly just be 45 minutes.

Cucumber IMO has returnable series potential, Channel 4 is heavily invested with not only Cucumber but also Banana on E4 and the online series Tofu. I hope Indian Summer is a hit because Channel 4 hasn't done a successful period drama like that aside from The Mill in a while, A Tale of Two Cities if it's good could be a hit for them.

It's nice that BBC Two and Channel 4 are getting back into original drama, BBC Two has a potential hit on their hands with Wolf Hall, Given the success of the books and the recent stage adaptation, it's hard to gage how big it could be. Hopefully under Viacom, Channel 5 can commission a few more original dramas whether it's returnable series or one-offs.

Strange... I'm sure last year BBC One moved Strictly's start time as the show got shorter - not the end time. Wouldn't be surprised to see this airing 18.45-20.30 in the officials with the rest of the programming as this weekend.