Really pleased with The Apprentice figures. Its still cracking entertainment for me. Its usually a bit of a grower as the series progresses so I wonder what will happen now its launched with such big numbers. It will of course, fluctuate as cylon points out with the football - but the beauty of the show is you can just watch individual episodes and get plenty out of it, so the numbers will always rebound.

Great news about Big Brother as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad to see Channel 4 finally let go. Lets hope they do something innovative with the time and money freed up - they've got a couple of years to get planning...

Wednesday 25th March Roundup
BBC One
13:45- Doctors: 1.42m (21.7%)
20:00- Waterloo Road: 4.45m (19%)
21:00- The Apprentice: 8.11m (33.3%)
- second highest audience ever, only behind last year’s finale rating of 8.9m (36.6%)
- 25.8% up on 2008 channel slot average of: 5.6m (24%)
22:45- Derailed: 1.2m

BBC Two
20:00- Orangutan Diary: 1.89m (8.1%)
21:00- Alan Whicker's Journey Of A Lifetime: 1.99m (8.2%)
22:00- The Apprentice - You're Fired!: 3.01m (15.2%)
22:30- Newsnight: 1.0m (8%)

ITV1
19:00- Emmerdale: 6.95m (33.6%)
19:30- Coronation Street: 8.96m (40.5%)
20:00- The Bill: 5m (21.4%)
21:00- Taggart: 3.25m (13.4%)
22:35- Clough: 2.1m (10%)

Channel 4
18:00- The Simpsons: 2.53m [inc. +1]
18:30- Hollyoaks: 1.89m (9.6%) , +1: 108,000 (0.5%).
20:00- Relocation, Relocation: 3.13m (13.4%) , +1: 85,000
21:00- Grand Designs: 2.59m (10.6%) , +1: 203,000
22:00- Desperate Housewives: 1.6m (10%)

Five
17:30- Neighbours: 1.61m (11.2%)
18:00- Home and Away: 1.16m (6.5%)
20:00- Ice Road Truckers:1.42m (5.8%)
21:00- Extraordinary People: Tree Man - The Cure: 1.42m (5.8%)

BBC Four
22:30- Newswipe With Charlie Brooker: 176,000 (1.3%)

E4
19:00- Hollyoaks: 583,000 (3.1%) , +1: 148,000 (0.7%)
21:00- Down To You: 200,000 [inc. +1]

Film4 [inc. +1]
19:15- Adams Family Values: 146,000
21:00- Fantastic Four: 350,000

Fiver
18:30- Home and Away: 689,000 (3.9%)
19:00- Neighbours: 326,000 (1.8%)

ITV2
21:00- Gossip Girl: 218,000 (1%)
23:00- Coronation Street: 215,000 (2.3%)

More4 [inc. +1]
21:00- Dispatches: 114,000
22:00- Father Ted: 300,000

Primetime Shares
BBC One: 23.3%
ITV1: 21.7%
Channel 4: 9.6% , +1: 0.7%
BBC Two: 8.2%
Five: 4.7%

All Hours Shares
BBC1: 21.8%
ITV1: 19.5%
Channel 4 [inc. +1]: 9.3%
BBC Two: 7.8%
Five: 4.8%

Sources: Channel 4 Sales, DS (1), DS (2), MG
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Brilliant start for The Apprentice, getting its second highest audience ever. As sn_22 says, it's usually a grower so I can now see the finale breaking that 10m mark. Next week's rating will be very interesting because it will be up against an England World Cup qualifier. It's rating will surely be down, but I have a feeling it will still average more than the England v Ukraine coverage.

Waterloo Road's audience was slightly boosted from previous weeks, although it is still over 0.5m behind The Bill. THe Clough documentary on ITV1 did very well that late; definitely think it should have been given a 9pm slot.

BBC One
22:45- Derailed: Derailed

so good they named it twice?


THe Clough documentary on ITV1 did very well that late; definitely think it should have been given a 9pm slot.
- ITV4 Friday 10th April @ 8pm

Could have easily broken 4m if it had been in that slot IMO.

Easter Saturday is going to be big for BBC One... they have Tonight's the Night, Robin Hood and Dr Who. I expect Dr Who will be up against Britain's Got Zero Talent.

It ran for 1 hour 15 minutes though, so it would need heavy editing.

Yes, it was such a good documentary as well. With all the publicity of Clough, I called for it to be given a 9pm slot. Editing might have been needed, but it was a great public service broadcast, and the advantage with this show is that ITV4 can air repeats every year, and it should be able to get good audiences.

I think it was a great production generally, it was more than I expected. Even the credits impressed me, which never happens on ITV.

Seriously though, ITV advertised The Damned United during the break, whilst in the programme they were condemning it . I bet the Clough family would say something about that!

I'm a bit surprised that currently the Press Office has Doctor Who on the Saturday, because the press have been saying recently that it would be the Sunday.

I think if DW does go out on Saturday, both BBC1 and ITV1 will probably try to avoid clashing DW and BGT against each other. Also, I don't think ITV would schedule Primeval against DW.
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ITV1 orders more Above Suspicion from La Plante

Not surprised at all because of the high ratings and AI it got.
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Ashes to Ashes press pack has been released: http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pre...26/ashes.shtml .

So, it's bound to start around Week 15/16, which is the next 2 or 3 weeks. At last, the BBC is starting to schedule a bit more drama after a pretty disappointing Q1 for that department. I think the Thursday 9pm slot like last year would be a good one, as the competition on Thursdays from the terrestrial channels is quite weak.

Tonights the Night will bomb, imo. You can only push the dancing shows so far and Barrowman is not an endearing presenter. LD for Comic Relief only pulled in the numbers because of the CR association (well Robert Webb)

I think Tonight's The Night will do mediocre ratings at best.

Though of course I could be wrong

Tonight's the night could bomb, but Barrowman has a lot of fans (as a result of his appearances in doctor who, his first CD went platinum within the first few months) so I wouldn't be surprised if it manages a decent rating.


It's not just a dancing show though, it's acting and singing too. It's more Jim'll Fix it than Strictly or BGT. The participants don't win any contracts, just the opportunity to perform with someone or in something. E.g. there's a chance to play an alien in a doctor who sketch, or dance on the strictly ballroom floor, etcetera.

Very good ratings for The Apprentice, while I think we could have a high rated finale. I don't think they will rapid ratings growth like last series. Surprisenly the other channels held up pretty well considering with only Channel 4 down by a lot.

ITV1 did okay with the Taggart repeat and very well for the Clough documentary, BBC Two did well with Alan Whicker and You're Fired, Channel 4 did okay with Grand Designs and Desperate Housewives and Five did well with IRT and Extraordinary People.

71.3% of viewers watching the terrestial 5 last night from 9-10pm. So m/c took the hit, which was not surprising as this was one of the few Wednesday nights with no real football of note on either Sky Sports or Setanta.

Who thinks C4 might sign another Big Brother contract, after they've secured a merger with BBC Worldwide, and/or won any other additional funding?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/2009/wk15/

The Press Office says unplaced.

And I say, and this will be the press's thinking as well, that Robin Hood and Doctor Who on the same night is over-egging the pudding. If CountryFile is moving to Sunday 7pm, then Doctor Who could be 8pm, the relatively late slot acceptable as the Monday after is a holiday

Brillaint for the Apprentice, C4 was hit by its success in the 9pm slot

As for Big Brother ending in 2 series time, well I can't believe it, its still one of their highest rated and most profitable shows. Surely its too early for a decision to be made ratings could increase in that time because of the Jade Good affect and even if they didn't well I can't see what C4 would fill 7hours+ a week which wouldn't be as profitable and rate as well

Any tie up with BBC worldwide will generate limited funds - maybe £100m max

Channel 4 had forecast total group revenue of £960m this year. This has now been revised to £910m. Next year Channel 4 expects revenues to drop to £860m.

The funding gap to maintain the existing programme schedule will be £100m a year

Don't forget their cash reserves.

you dont spend cash reserves on day to day costs

Is Big Brother a day-to-day cost, then?

Of course it is. Its part of the current tv schedule.

I feel BB will end on C4 next year. What would Endemol offer C4 in terms of a further contract? 1 year, 2 years, 5 years? I don't see C4 committing to a 5 year extension.

BB has really had its day, despite perhaps making an overall profit for C4. It's time to move on and I think C4 will.

So the £425m* just sits in the bank while they plead poverty?

* http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009...hannel-4-bskyb

I wouldn't like to bet my savings ruling out another C4 contract for Big Brother, or ruling out a future return for Andy Duncan's bonus.

So your answer is to axe Big Brother which brings in 25% of Channel 4's revenues and spend all its cash reserves, so then what? Thats the equivalent of quitting your job and blowing your life savings on a round the world trip,...

George - you haven't understood what I wrote.

Where did I recommend axing Big Brother?

I said I wouldn't rule out a future BB contract for C4

And, as if a new BB contract would wipe out anything approaching £425m!

Brilliant to see The Apprentice doing well last night. Waterloo Road is keeping consistent figures too which is good news.

I'm over the moon that Above Suspicion will be returning! It really was one of ITV's winter highlights. Can't wait for it to come back. Hopefully ITV will promote it well so it gets an 8 millionish rating again.