BIB: That would be another reason to hate X Factor - if it fails to kill off Five Star Family Reunion.

A nice low, low rating dangerously close to dropping below 2m would be desirable (for Family Reunion, not X Factor).

If Strictly could get anywhere near 9 million it would be fantastic for the show.

I don't know what they've done to X Factor but it feels like the old days all round - when even the editing was entertaining and funny. Not saying it's enough to save it from further drops, but strange how badly wrong they had got it the past few years trying to be oh so cool and failing miserably.

Gutted for goodnight sweetheart
it deserved a lot more. Was really funny and well thought out

On a slightly differen note and a bit late, I thought Gardeners' World was the best thing on Friday night. I love the new 1hr episodes. 30minutes is too short.

It did. Friday was the wrong day for it and the promotion was poor for it. Think it could get a series though.

No Strictly launch show (teaming contestants with their dance partners), has ever averaged 9m. That's one barrier it has never been able to break.

I felt the Strictly launch show was better than previous years. Or maybe I'm just in a better mood.

Although last year's launch show had 9.78m on 7 day consolidated (and 10.05m 0n 28 day consolidated) so it couldn't have been much below 9m in the overnights.

It was 8.69m. But Strictly launch shows never average 9m in the overnights is what I should have said. Just can't do it. X Factor, BGT and I'm A Celebrity have but Strictly never can. It's a bit surprising considering how high the ratings can get during a series.

Continuing a look at the week following the death of Diana...

Friday 5 September 1997

ITV
17:40 - Early Evening News (18:00 - The Queen): 8.80m
18:10 - Regional programmes
19:00 - Bruce's Price is Right: 7.58m
19:30 - Coronation Street: 12.85m
20:00 - ITN News Special: Diana: 9.37m
21:00 - The Bill: 6.04m
21:30 - Diana: Princess of the People Not in the top 70 (under 6.06m)
22:00 - News at Ten: 6.39m

BBC1
17:35 - Neighbours (R): 6.40m
18:00 - The Queen / Six O'Clock News: 11.21m
18:40 - Regional news
19:10 - Weekend Watchdog with Anne Robinson: 6.46m
19:45 - BBC News Special: Diana, Princess of Wales: 7.06m
21:00 - Nine O'Clock News: 9.32m
21:40 - Dangerfield: 6.76m
22:30 - Diana: The People's Vigil (?)
23:00 - Reflections (?)
23:10 - Parkinson: the Interviews (?)
23:45 - News
23:55 - Film: Casablanca (R)
01:35 - Weather
01:40 - Closedown

(?) Not in the top 70

BBC2
16:00 - Ready, Steady, Cook: 2.30m
20:00 - Top Gear Motorsport: 1.77m
20:30 - Gardeners' World: 2.71m
21:00 - Bottom (R): 2.60m
21:30 - Rab C. Nesbitt: 3.04m
22:00 - Room 101: 2.72m

C4
16:30 - Countdown: 3.47m
20:45 - Brookside: 2.80m
21:15 - Friends: 4.93m
21:45 - Cybill: 2.89m
22:10 - Frasier: 3.28m

C5
All programmes under 0.76m

Sky News
16:00 - 0.42m
17:00 - Live at Five: 0.44m

Sky 1
19:00 - The Simpsons: 0.40m

Sky Movies
21:00 - Film: Tremors 2: Aftershocks (Premiere): 0.49m

Thanks Ray.

Was Friday 5th September 1997 a rare time when the NIne O'Clock News was ahead of News At Ten?

Yes, I guessed you meant in the overnights, but in looking up last year's figures, it was a lot easier to look up the consolidate figure on the BARB website (and rough-guess the overnights) than it was to find the exact page in the vast history of the ratings thread where the overnights were posted.

It was also ahead of News at Ten on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday that week.

Well of course the obvious difference with the other shows is that there's a 3 week gap between this launch show and the series starting proper, on a Friday and Saturday. I bet many viewers feel that then is the true launch, and is also promoted slightly better, though obviously this one doesn't have anything to be ashamed about ratings wise either!

I never knew Third Rock from the Sun used to be shown on BBC2. I've been recording the overnight repeats on Channel 4 recently and it is still an hilarious series 20 years on.


September 5, 1997 is famously the day Mother Theresa died. I imagine that was the top story on those high-rating news bulletins.

Nah, the media were still in Diana craze, mother Theresa was very much sidelined

Totally ignored in favour of the Royal Dead Bimbo, partly because it was announced just before the Queen made her crown saving big speech, quite a few idiots before that had been demanding the overthrow of the monarchy because the family hadn't shown enough sadness

Personally I found the events of the whole week revolting

Strictly Come Dancing : 9.26m (46.5%)

Go For It: 2.46m (12.2%) Inc +1
The X Factor: 8.28m (39.0%) Inc +1
Newzoids : 3.31m (16.7%) Inc +1
Carpenters Song: 2.15m (13.4%) Inc +1

Fantastic figures for both shows!

Strictly peaked at 10.1m.

That's almost X Factor's highest overnight since 2014. The final last year had 8.35m inc. +1.

Until now

SCD brilliant, 46.5% of viewers!

Seems SCD gave XF a leg up, handing some of its large audience to XF.

But even with, No competition on BBC1 XF didn't interest everyone with a far lower share of 39% inc +1.

Fantastic for Strictly.

Fantastic number, almost as high as series 12's final!

How much is TXF up week on week? About 1.5 million?

Where the heck did that come from for The X Factor?! Excellent for Strictly - first time it's finished above 9m for the launch; strange we were having that discussion last night about it never managing that and... voila.

Newzoids on one hand struggled with the lead in given but it's nearly back to it's series one launch figure - hopefully it'll hold on to it's audience this time.