The thing is you can't show all the drama all over Christmas you have to spread it over the year, otherwise there will be gaps, this Casual vacancy due to the author will get good initial ratings.

Easter is a good idea.

The Casual Vacancy would not have suited Christmas at all, I've still not managed to read the book but I hear it's quite dark, whereas Mapp & Lucia is fun and enjoyable, perfect for this time of year. Obviously not many viewers agree with me, but if the past year has shown anything it's that Barb viewers shouldn't really be trusted to judge quality. (Also, the BBC have said TCV will air in February, so either the Sunday after the Baftas or Tuesday after Silent Witness has finished.)

As for moving Remember Me, then what would have held up so well against I'm a Celeb? I'm still convinced it was commissioned with that slot in mind, given the success of Crickley Hall. Also, who's to say it would have done any better unsupported at Christmas, when ratings seem to have taken a dip, certain people on here might prefer it and think it'll do better because of that, but then they seem to need to disagree with every decision made.

Not sure we can take this as confirmation as anything, the programme information originally had the 3rd round on Saturday and Sunday, with the Sunday match running to 10pm supposedly displacing Last Tango in Halifax.

Tbh It doesn't really matter that Mapp and Lucia has dropped below 3m. Like ITV with he Lost Honour drama, its not meant to be a broad appealing drama. Both ITV and BBC probably commissioned the dramas because they wanted something of good quality in their schedule, whether it rates highly or not.

Ultimately the BBC is meant to be about quality first and foremost, not always ratings.

I do, but that's not the big rating of the night:

Tuesday 23rd December 2014 - Consolidated Ratings
Masterchef: The Professionals - 4.04m
The Wrong Mans - 2.66m

Except the BBC have shown 3 parters at Xmas for several years and this is just another.

At least it hasn't fallen as much YOY as your dear old Corrie has

Thanks DMN.

A great number for Masterchef: The Professionals. That means it moves up BBC2's top 20 for the year. And Dave Allen is top comedy.

EE will down a bit next week due d9 odd ep EE 8:30 weds and 2 ep on Thursday! ? Will catch Peolpe out , unless they advertise it! Really well.with times!

I don't think new year day will be high then Monday . As I have only seen the trailer that much . I only seen it once on tv , that was on Friday!

What did movies get on channel 4 yesterday ? The parrents (both) and freaky Friday

Masterchef seems to continue to do well in all its various incarnations. Its been really valuable for the BBC for many years.

If it's a true cross section, there will be more tabloid readers than broadsheet ones and that will generally be reflected in the quality of the programmes that rate higher or lower.

Aren't they normally done and dusted by New Year's Eve, though?

I thought there a longer gap between Christmas and the start of Mapp and Lucia than usual.

A question about this Sunday's afternoon schedule on BBC One.

I've looked at BBC Programme Information, and it lists "FA Cup Final Score" as "confirmed for 2:45pm-5pm on BBC One". The schedule is the same in a magazine TV guide I looked at. However most online TV guides and EPG's have the start time as 3:50pm for Final Score. Any idea as to which schedule is correct?

I think that was down to two things, wanted to avoid airing an episode on Saturday again (like they did with Pemberley last year) and needing Last Tango to start on the Sunday so that it finishes before the Baftas.

I think we'll see the same scheduling next year but without the stripped drama finishing on New Year's Eve, with maybe War and Peace on Sunday 27th, and And Then There Were None airing Monday 28th to Wednesday 30th.

Do they still have an earlier start on red button/BBC Sport app?

According to this, no:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/17151954

That lists a 3:50pm start time on BBC One though.

The Radio Times magazine and my EPG lists the start time as 3.50pm. I think they were hoping for a few more 3pm kick offs than they now do.

The fireworks/Queen gig appears to be presented by Greg James and Gemma Cairney tonight. Interesting choices - neither are BBC One faces.

From Radio One, and maybe a route to more TV other than music like Glastonbury.

Ok . I do think it's disappointing that they'd rather show an extra repeat of Escape to the Country or Flog It instead of this though, especially if there's no early red button start.

Perhaps a bit symbolic with 2015 being the year BBC Three goes online.

It mentions a 3.00 start on the Sunday on the red button here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30564248

Thanks. So what we've learned is that the BBC website is full of contradictions and inconsistencies .

EDIT: I enquired on the BBC website and got a quick email back. They said it starts at 3:50pm on One, but they couldn't give me any info on the red button as the schedule could change closer to the time of broadcast.

Ronant do you know how House Of Fools did on BBC2 on Sunday and Charlie Brooker's 2014 Wipe last night?

Aye. The likes of Reading and T In The Park are likely to be plonked on BBC Two in either 2015 or 2016 so terrestrial tv viewers will be seeing a lot more of them.

Freesat schedule for BBC Red Button has FA Cup Final Score on Sunday running from 1pm to 5.20pm.