Agreed, BBC split with comedy in between against Downtown that should cover all bases

I'll say again. Christmas Day is so so so much more important to BBC One than to ITV, so it should absolutely be ITV scheduling Downton around BBC One rather than the other way around. All day long.

Maybe this time of year reminds them of their impending Christmas dinner of tofu and mung beans.

They certainly are. Avengers Assemble passed me by completely and somehow became the third highest grossing movie to date. Im a bit surprised its with the BBC tbh but I don't know why Im surprised

Gone are the days when captured film rights made big headlines in the tabloids.

They're too busy asking Father Christmas for a new pair of Jesus Sandals and wondering what colour socks to wear with them.

I don't like the way Total TV Guide starts the first letter of every word in the programme titles in capitals.

It's Last of the Summer Wine not Last Of The Summer Wine .

Only Fools and Horses not Only Fools And Horses.

It's Really Bloody Annoying.

Could I ask why its annoying?

But is it better to be a Guardian reader or a Daily Mail reader?

yeap they all bugger off abroad til jan 2nd

Is that a serious question?

She likes Citizen Khan.

Actually, so do I.

On the one hand you have sandal wearing, shawl possessing, bead adorning, mothball smelling Guardian readers, on the other hand you have flag waving, opera going, anti-BBC, pinstripe suit wearing, champion complainers that are the Mail readers. Bowler hats or beaded plaits! Gosh, yorkie, what a question! I'll get back to you sometime next year!

Considering BBC One's arsenal this year and Downton Abbey showing signs of weakness I don't think they should be looking to just throw an hour long EastEnders against it.

Because it's wrong! Words such as "at", "of", "the", "in", "and" etc shouldn't start with capitals if they appear anywhere other than as the first word of a title.

ITV lose money with Downton at Christmas but Peter Fincham said it was about having a presence on Christmas Day.

That's exactly what I mean! Unless they make major scheduling booboos (ala Nan, Len Goodman, Holby) in the next eight days then this BBC Christmas lineup doesn't seem to have any weaknesses at all so they might as well schedule it in a way that best suits BBC One and let ITV make the choice of what Downton struggles against.

when you put it like that, i suppose its better to be a tofu muncher.

I think they forgot to come back this year!

Well they have saved up at least half the program budget for this year by filling up the schedule with dross so they probably think they deserve a good holiday.

At least then you knew which channel had which films. Now I don't have a clue! Bring back movie deal press releases!

If they did split EastEnders they'd need something big to lead in to the first episode, something like Esio Trot to make sure people are already watching the channel and aren't caught out by the earlier start time, just having Strictly before it wouldn't cut it. Also, looking at the past two splits there was only one programme in between the two episodes, in 2007 it was Doctor Who and in 2008 it was Wallace & Gromit, so I'm not sure it's wise to have one episode at 6ish and the other at 9ish with 2/3 programmes inbetween. (Edit: Although having looked further back, they did do this in 2006 with it airing at 6.30pm and 9pm, with both Doctor Who and Strictly inbetween. )

I think the only way it could work this year is if they aired both episodes later and sandwiched them between comedies, something like this:

You could get rid of Esio Trot, move Strictly earlier and fit in Call the Midwife, and it would still work. One problem is that the tone would be up and down all night, with light hearted comedy alternating with "depressing" (as people love to say) drama.

Also, EastEnders didn't stop splitting the episode because of Downton, the last split was two years before Downton started airing on Christmas Day.

Yes it used to be a big thing, But they still do bring in good numbers as War Horse showed and around christmas films are a good way of getting a younger audience I think. I think the younger audience are easier to reach over christmas so putting something like Avengers Assemble captures that audience.

I'm surprised they picked that up.

As I say each year EastEnders Split just looks so much nicer doesn't it. When everything is clumped together in 1hr, 75min, and 65min chunks with a 30min hop at the end, Like last year. It just doesn't flow or look anywhere near as attractive.

I think Christmas should all be about a quick moving 30min with one or 2 1hr programs mixed together. That way you can build up an audience of different people insted of haveing the CTM views tune in for 75mins and no one else.

Captive "casual" viewers are nowhere near what they used to be but they are still their if you put a good schedule on.

every year I try not to but I would go..

Film leading into-
6.00-Doctor Who
7.00-EastEnders
7.30-Strictly Come Dancing
8.30-Still Open all Hours
9.00-EastEnders
9.30-Miranda
10.00-Mrs Browns Boys
10.30-John Bishop (Was a great show last year and deserves the slot, honestly it was proper christmas entertainment and should be on the big day)
11.30-News

As Ever the corrie soap blockade (significantly weaker than it used to be) will efest EastEnders scheduling. But I say stuff the ITV soaps, people will prioritise the comedy.

Doctor Who of the back of a weak rating series I would put early, Strictly with a good looking line up and the return of Brucie may be a bit more christmasy and more of an event. 6pm on the big day is perfect for the Doc in my opinion. Links better with EE as well and the film on before.

Thats my go!

You sound just like my English teacher and he was definately a Grauniad reader.

Indeed. After C5 aired The Polar Express earlier this month, it's turning up on ITV2 in December. C5 must have been buring off a final airing before the rights transferred again back to ITV.