Could be - BGMT has been a bit inconsistent this series though, but then when the alternative is Mumbai Calling, I wouldn't be surprised if plenty did flock to ITV2.

Even though the critics are saying it's a brilliant and informative documentary? Surely that's the kind of thing you'd want to see do well on ITV1 if you wish for the channel to get back to the old days?

Probably.

Surely ITV1 missed a trick by delaying "BGT News" until 11.30pm, after its success this week?

With the "shock result" lead story and reaction from around the stunned nation straight after at 10pm, they would have pulled 10m+?

I just know what most of the posts will be tomorrow - if its between average of 12 - 14million people will say "i was expecting a bit more than that"!

Precisely. People are talking about a third of the population watching, that would be unprecendent lest not unrealistic.

Perhaps that's some people's intention?

The semi finals have been getting 12 to 14 million, logic would dictate that a significant number of the "curious" (like me) will turn up at the very end. I would be astonished if the figures dont beat anything so far-which realistically takes you to a starting point of 15 million. So huge figures arent beyond the bounds of possibility.

Oh and I think Ashes to Ashes will get a bit higher than 4.5 million-it deserves to at least.

ITV must have made a fortune during the final results, big advertisers paying for a big audience

Tbh, there's no need for all the criticism about ITV News reporting on BGT. TV news reports on sporting events all the time.

Some local Scottish bulletins lead with the news of Gordon Strachan leaving Celtic this week.

And sports (much as I love football) are no more important than an entertainment show. It's just that they have come to be tolerated as a part of the news.

Btw... BBC News 24 was trying to cash in tonight. Right after the result they ran a discussion on the result for about 10-15 minutes.

I also did not watch BGT. I popped out between 8pm and 8.30pm to go to Tescos.

I can report that the main road was more empty at that time than I have ever seen it on any day other than Christmas Day. Literally only 2 cars in sight where normally there would be about 20.

Tescos was also incredibly empty. Total 3 people at tills where normally there would be about 15 at that time.

I won't make a prediction for BGT ratings but all I will say is it could be massive.

Mumbai Calling was awful. I expect it got a good audience due to the lead in but it should if there's any sanity drop like a brick in future.

I think ITV should give up on comedy. They've had one hit in Benidorm but that's it. That other thing Teenage Kicks was awful too from what I remember.

Not that the BBC's comedy output is much better either. Both are a shambles to be quite frank.

Tommorrows episode of Benidorm being the first comedy highlight in a year probably apart from The Royle Family at christmas which was good.

I expect BGT will have peaked higher than Wallace and Gromit's official rating but the average I'm not sure about. I think that could be between 14-15m which will be excellent.

I think Moving Wallpaper was clever, perhaps too clever for a mainstream audience. [Not to say the mainstream audience lack intelligence, just lack any interest or insight into the media, which the show examines - with lots of 'in-jokes']. It's as if Moving Wallpaper was written for ITV employees & bosses, rather than the TV audience.

I think what you're saying is a bit strong, given there is ITV2 so comedies can start without any real pressure. FM & No Heroics were OKish.

Personally, I've always seen ITV as better at comedy dramas. And I think ITV have turned Benidorm into a comedy drama, hence its now an hour long.

In ITV's comedy drama heyday, we saw Cold Feet, The Grimleys, and of course, we've still got Doc Martin.

Mainstream comedy seems to pretty dead anyway. Then again, so-called alternative channels like BBC3 aren't much better. They axed Pulling which was one of the best comedies I'd seen in quite some time.

It's quite telling that My Family 'celebrated' 100 episodes recently - is that really the best we have to offer?

I don't think ITV should be actively pursuing comedy because more often than not, it doesn't work. If something comes along that they really believe in then that's a different story - and they do have TV Burp and Benidorm so the cupboards aren't completely bare.

I just saw 10 mins of the final on ITV2, and I think 50% of the advertising revenue has went on botox for Amanda Holden's face!!!

The Inbetweeners did well, 1m on E4 is excellent. Though I don't really think it would work on ITV1 (where it would need 3m more viewers).

Dramedy might be the way to go, but I doubt they'd pull that off either. UK TV doesn't do what ITV call "contemporary drama" (i.e anything that isn't crime based). We've got Hotel Babylon but that's doomed.

And on that note, ITV might want to look at FOX's Glee for an example of what they should have done instead of Britannia High. Might they consider buying the rights to that and putting it after The X Factor?

Channel 4 are easily the kings of UK comedy.

We do produce a ridiculous amount and it's mainly because with the success of reality tv, it's cheaper to put together since there's a set formula involved.

We're great at comedy (Peep Show, Shameless, Inbetweeners, etcetera) but we don't do great with drama.

I really wish we would do more cult shows, as Doctor Who and series 2 of Torchwood proove we're capable.

We're not the ones who make it our hobby to rant against ITV on an internet forum most the year round.

Now that REALLY is sad.

Currently possibly. To be honest a lot of their stuff passes me by but they do come up with a lot of innovative new ideas.

I think looking at the history of British comedy the BBC rules supreme with many of the legendary comedy shows being BBC ones.


I see Shameless as more of a drama than a comedy. Comedy is a big part of it but it's fundamentally a drama series. Officially it would be described as a comedydrama but I think the dramatic elements of the show are the strongest.

Comedy dramas are comedies none the less, especially shameless.

I think whilst it's obvious the BBC do have, historically, the monopoly (Python, Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, Alan Partridge, Fast Show, League Of Gentleman) Channel 4 these past twelve years or so have really taken over the batton and produced some great stuff (Spaced, Black Books, IT Crowd, Mash And Pees, Ali G, Peep Show, Bo Selecta, The Inbetweeners, Trigger Happy and various others that I cannot be bothered to list).

The BBC's comedy output has really declined recently. My Family, endless repeats of the vastly over-rated Vicar Of Dibley etcetera. They still have some greats (Royle Family's specials whilst not a patch on the origional show still provide great laughts) but not half as many as they used to.

It appears that Channel 4 are more willing to experiment with new comedy, while BBC1 are stuck in the 1980s slightly. In fairness, BBC3 pulled a fantastic comedy in Pulling...before promptly axing it.

I'd list Outnumbered, Gavin & Stacey, and The Mighty Boosh as recent BBC comedies i've enjoyed. Although none of them could be seen as traditional sitcoms in the strictest sense.
I'd have to agree with you on the endless Vicar Of Dibley repeats though.

After their recent foray into primetime US drama, I'm not so sure ITV would fancy the risk again. Although Glee looks very good and far more accessible than Pushing Daisies. I hope someone picks it up over here, if not ITV.

You'd love the Broadcasting forum then!