Originally Posted by PorkchopExpress: “The series was great but last year's Christmas Special was absolutely abominable. Surprised it's coming back.”
At least once before, they axed it only to change their minds. They probably won't want to do that again so will let Lee see the series out. That's what he seemed to be alluding to in that press release.
I posted this in the ratings thread earlier. Some ratings for Not Going Out:
Overnight ratings* Highest-rated in a series in bold
Spoiler
Series 1 (Oct-Nov 2006, Fridays at 21:30)
Ep 1: 2.83m (13.9%)
Ep 2: 2.96m (14.1%)
Ep 3: 2.85m (13.8%)
Ep 4: 3.24m (15.6%)
Ep 5: 3.57m (16.6%)
Ep 6: 3.39m (15.6%) series average: 3.14m (14.9%)
Series 2 (Sep-Oct 2007, Fridays at 21:30)
Ep 1: 3.29m (15.8%)
Ep 2: 3.19m (15.7%)
Ep 3: 3.36m (16.9%)
Ep 4: 3.20m (15.2%)
Ep 5: 2.58m (12.3%)
Ep 6: 3.52m (16.6%)
Ep 7: 3.61m (16.8%) series average: 3.25m (15.6%)
Christmas Special (Fri 21 Dec 2007, 21:30): 3.77m (17.0%)
Series 3 (Jan-Mar 2009, Fridays at 21:30)
Ep 1: 3.45m (15.1%)
Ep 2: 3.26m (13.7%)
Ep 3: 3.16m (14.1%)
Ep 4: 3.27m (14.3%)
Ep 5: 3.19m (14.6%)
Ep 6: 3.51m (16.2%)
Ep 7: 3.59m (17.4%) series average: 3.35m (15.1%)
* BBC axes show in 2009
* BBC reverses decision later that year
Christmas Special (Wed 23 Dec 2009, 22:50): 2.11m (13.9%)
Series 4 (Jan-Feb 2011, Thursdays at 21:30)
Ep 1: 4.75m (19.4%)
Ep 2: 4.18m (17.4%)
Ep 3: 4.04m (17.4%)
Ep 4: 4.24m (18.0%)
Ep 5: 3.67m (15.7%)
Ep 6: 3.74m (15.6%) series average: 4.10m (17.2%)
Series 5 (Apr-May 2012, Fridays at 21:30)
Ep 1: 4.54m (19.6%)
Ep 2: 4.16m (18.4%)
Ep 3: 4.06m (17.6%)
Ep 4: 4.32m (19.0%)
Ep 5: 4.15m (18.5%)
Ep 6: 4.69m (20.9%) series average: 4.32m (19.0%)
Series 6 (Apr-May 2013, Fridays at 21:30)
Ep 1: 4.21m (19.1%)
Ep 2: 3.95m (16.9%)
Ep 3: 3.66m (16.0%)
Ep 4: 3.47m (16.2%)
Ep 5: 3.86m (17.6%)
Ep 6: 3.39m (16.3%)
Ep 7: 3.68m (17.4%)
Ep 8: 3.32m (14.7%) series average: 3.69m (16.8%)
Christmas Special (Tue 24 Dec 2013, 22:00): 4.75m (22.5%)
Series 7 (Oct-Dec 2014, Fridays at 21:30)
Ep 1: 3.60m (16.5%)
Ep 2: 3.3m (~16%)
Ep 3: 3.22m (15.7%)
Ep 4: 3.81m (17.5%)
Ep 5: 3.14m (13.7%)
Ep 6: 2.85m (12.6%)
Ep 7: 2.89m (12.5%)
Ep 8: 3.53m (15.8%)
Ep 9: 3.00m (14.4%)
Ep 10: 3.20m (13.9%) series average: 3.25m (14.9%)
Christmas Special (Thu 24 Dec 2015, 22:45): 2.92m (19.2%)
Consolidated ratings*:
Spoiler
Series 1 - average: 3.02m (14.2%), lowest: 2.89m (13.9%), highest: 3.25m (14.8%)
Series 2 - average: lowest: 2.06m (9.3%), highest: 3.50m (15.7%)
Christmas Special 2007 - 3.04m (13.3%)
Series 3 - average: 3.48m (14.7%), lowest: 3.19m (13.8%), highest: 3.71m (16.2%)
Christmas Special 2009 - 2.40m (14.7%)
Series 4 - average: 4.65m (17.6%), lowest: 4.43m (16.7%), highest: 5.16m (19.2%)
Series 5 - average: 4.96m (19.4%), lowest: 4.75m (18.7%), highest: 5.33m (21.1%)
Series 6 - average: 4.23m, lowest: 3.66m, highest: 5.01m
Christmas Special 2013: 5.00m
Series 7 - average: 4.05m, lowest: 3.59m, highest: 4.60m
* Some episodes were delayed in parts of the UK; hence the consolidated ratings (which exclude opt-outs) are in some cases lower than the overnights (which include opt-outs)