Is the regional news therefore at 7pm?

The Manchester one is the official one is it not, the London one an extra one to soften the blow of it not being in the capital in the first place?

We've already had a parade in Yorkshire in any case.

I like this post. Don't necessarily agree with all of it but it's well thought out and a very valid viewpoint. Don't listen to the rude replies!

Regarding the act being sent home, to be fair to Sharon and Nicole (and Simon, who only got it right because Nicole wrote it down for him!) the act had the most ridiculous name (Brattavio) and had only been given it last week. Sharon was like that all weekend though, she'd definitely been on the wine on Saturday (it happened a few times in her original stint as well) and provided more entertainment value in one night than Cheryl did in the entire of the last series (not difficult in fairness).

I don't know that the gap will make them all that uncomfortable. I'm sure they'd like it to be reduced but as Lygo said, he wishes he had more problems like The X Factor. There are vast swathes of ITV's schedule (Tuesdays, currently Thursdays and Friday at 9pm, Saturday's either side of X Factor and possibly even Sundays at 7pm) that are really underperforming, so I think they're better off focusing their energy on finding hits in those slots rather than losing shows that rate well and make a lot of money (even if they do neither of things as well as they used to). There are plenty of gaps in ITV's Saturday schedule across the year (and Sundays too) where they could try and find new entertainment hits before they cut back on one of the biggest ones they've got (although I think they have maybe cut back on XF very slightly as the episodes have been a little shorter this year). The fact they are looking forward to the arrival of The Voice which will rate lower at a less competitive time of year says it all.

I think this series is doing reasonably well. It's tracking last year pretty closely and barring any issues for the rest of it, this series should end up within a few % of last year. Any decline in the series average is probably down to the structure of it going back to normal (having no Saturday shows for 4 weeks and stringing out the 6 Chair Challenge boosted them a little bit last year). I'm sure they'd love it to be higher but before this series started I think they'd have taken it quite happily. I think we'd have all said it was a decent result too, even if a couple of promising numbers at the audition phase maybe raised hopes slightly. They definitely need to reduce dependence on it in Q4 but as I've said, there are spaces to do that without cutting XF drastically. They need to use the slots outside of it much better. When a new show gets a 30% share at 6pm just like series 1 of XF did back in 2004 (when Saturday Night Takeaway aired after it at 7.15pm) they might consider it. That of course requires them to commission for 6pm, but there's no reason why they shouldn't do that in Q4. It's better than 7pm if anything as they'd get a headstart on Strictly (and largely avoid it come November when Strictly shortens so starts later).

The show itself has been pretty good this year, I've enjoyed it a lot more than last year and probably more so than in a while. Not perfect but I thought Saturday's live show was good fun and if they can keep it at that level for the rest of the run I'd be happy. Of course with hindsight they should have had this panel 2 years ago when Cowell first returned, they'd probably be in a better position now if they had. So they need to learn from their mistakes and rehire them all (and Dermot) for next year. Twice now they've had stability from the Louis/Sharon/Nicole lineup so they should be kept. If I were them I'd do it sooner rather than later so they could announce it on this year's final. Some consistency would be refreshing and as I said earlier I think people are fed up of judge changes filling up the tabloids all year, it makes people feel like the show is never off air. A lack of it certainly hasn't hurt BGT or Strictly. Some familiarity might even help them going into next year, a bit of positivity can't hurt.

It is a major turnaround. From what I can gather (and I'm sure this is the very short version) he got dropped by Syco after his debut album (released Autumn 2013 so dropped around Spring 2014) after all the controversy and his record not doing brilliantly. He's gone away and worked with one of Sony's German labels (so under the same umbrella as Syco) as apparently he did quite well over there and has made a new record. Consequently Cowell/Syco have resigned him and are releasing the new record in the UK. I think the relation between Cowell/Arthur has been slowly repaired over the past year or so and has built up to him being resigned. Apparently Cowell was worried about the record before resigning him but made a point last night of saying how James Arthur had "done it his own way". It seems like he really struggled with the fame at first and kept hitting out (hence the controversy) but has made a lot of apologies and calmed down. He gave a shout out to World Mental Health Day last night and I believe is now an ambassador for a mental health charity. I'm sure there's more to it than that but I think that's the gist.

It's certainly unprecedented but fair play to him for coming back.

Lady C made it last year. Love her or hate her she was a huge character and easily the biggest talking point. I actually thought last year was one of the best series in a while, it was the only one I've made it to the end of in years

The ratings were pretty good last year, from what I remember it was down about 4% on the year before which is fine, particularly as the gap closed over the series (I think the final week was about flat). I saw something recently about them not bothering with reality stars as much last time, but I bet they'll have 1 or 2 in there. We'll see.

Well I hope the 'ban' of reality stars is fact. Its true last year was so full of them. Really find it lazy of IAC to pick realty stars (on the same level of CBB) since they have a higher budget.

Although they are only rumours, I'm liking who I'm hearing: Carol Vorderman, Craig Charles, Nigal Farage and Louis Smith among others. A strong line-up like that could deliver a better opening rating than last year.

Also I hope the final is on Sunday and not Saturday. On the Sunday the ratings tend to be bigger for finals.

Last year there was a noticeable rise in the quality of trials. I think that ight have been due to the increase in budget.

Dermot is now ensconced with X Factor unlike last year I suppose.

Very good for Strictly. Highest week 3 results since at least 2013 (that's as far as my figures go back). It seems to be building momentum very early on this time around. I can see some 10m+ overnights coming very soon at this rate.

That is disappointing for XF IMO. Last year it had 6.7m after the performance show had 5.6m so I was expecting closer, if not over 7m last night. I can see the results really struggling now after that number. Just 2-years ago in 2014, the first results show had 8.8m so they've really fallen since that. Looking at last year results 2 & 3 had 7.2m and 7.3m respectively. I can't see it matching those unfortunately. I wonder if the lead-out is a factor this time around? It's had Downton in that slot for years now which must have surely helped them but with Victoria not supporting it as well (although it did end decently last night), that could be a reason it's struggling. If any thing with no Victoria this Sunday and a show at 9pm that will rate much lower, I can results 2 really struggling. IAC can't return soon enough to try offer some form of support for it.

BBC1 can focus on the Olympic people and Channel 4 can focus on the Paralympic people.

I hope their recent ban on reality tv stars covers this.

Well we could gawp at comparisons to 2014 or before but it's just pointless. It's more a reflection on the last series, not this one - 91% of the decline for the first results show since 2014 came from last year, compared to just 9% from this year.

Remember also that the first results show was one of 2014's highest overnights.

And yes, those results were boosted by big lead-outs. This year will show an audience more consistent throughout the show, rather than just at the end.

If being pretty much the same as this week for the upcoming show 2 (perhaps a little higher) is what you mean by "really struggling", then that's...interesting. I don't think being steady YOY (~200k is well within the margin of statistical error anyway) is really the disaster you're making it out to be but each to their own.

Tom Bradbury just advised at end of The Agenda that next two programmes will be on for one hour and at 8.00pm on Tuesdays,which will be interesting from a ratings point of view,worth a try I suppose,and quiet brave.

Absolutely spot on.

One is on commercial TV. One is on fee paying TV.
One features the public. One features celebrities.
One appeals to the young. One appeals to the senior.
One was the biggest thing on TV. One is a top 4 show.
One gets 8m viewers. One gets 10m viewers.
One is hated. One is adored.

Only another two weeks until we start getting our TV schedules earlier:

http://www.bds.tv/broadcasters/bbcTvInternal.shtml

Not entirely sure how well Digiguide will cope this year, though.

The BBC schedule allows each proggramme to support each programme. As its mostly skews older, each show can feed into each other.

With TXF and Victoria both skew differently, so do not directly feed each others growth. When IAC returns TXF should see a boost as both skew young.

Again, spot on.

It's why I'd put Meet the Parents on at 6pm and sacrifice The Chasing Point at 7pm.
It's why they must give Dance Dance Dance every bit of help they can.
It's why they need to find a weak opponent for The Voice.
It's why they should treat Voice Kids as a big 6pm show.
It's why I'd throw money at Peter Kay.
It's why I'd consider trying to make Tuesdays in to gameshow night. Or something.

And, if ITV don't drop the ball next year, it's why BBC1 need to find some hits too.

A lot of people don't like the fact that there is reality stars on IAC but as someone who is "young" these reality stars are the talking point and having people like Craig Charles and Carol Vordemaon is not going to appeal to the younger audience.

Kind words, thank you very much.


An empty chair would deliver more entertainment value than Cheryl! But good to hear Mrs O is back on form. She seemed quieter than normal during the bits I saw earlier in the series. They needed her firing for these live shows. Do you think Simon regrets bringing back Louis though after the monumentally disastrous six chair challenge he oversaw? (from what I read) His routine is very very tired now and they'd probably be better off having guest judges or something.


Like the idea in principle but not sure how it would work within ITV's current advertising template. Don't they normally run shows commercial free - or at least only containing ITV promos - around that time on a Saturday?


Yes, I rather think some consistency is needed now, despite what I said about Louis above. Axing him again so soon would look silly. But perhaps six chair should go next year given it seems to generate car crash TV year after year.


Thanks for filling me in.

Certainly an interesting one.

New TV Times Next Week section for the week of 22-28 October has Autumnwatch, Bake off Final and the Young Pope all happening that week

Meanwhile what has possessed E4 to move New The Good Bang Theory from its slot of many years on thursdays to 8.30 on wednesdays?

True, but too much reality rubbish, can put viewers off. Most of IAC audience is built up of all different ages. The ratings are so big they can have 2m+ 16-34s watching, but also have 2m+ 65+ watching as well.

Its all about getting the right balence. They can still have young, media friendly celebs like Loius Smith, without restorting to reality stars.

Look at last year, the oldest campate was the biggest talking point.

Will Cold Feet has finally risen from its low of 4.6m last week. I certainly hope so. Last nights ep was brilliant, in fact I would say the best so far.

Overnights.tv ‏@overnightstv 49s50 seconds ago
#Victorianslum started on BBC2 with 2.4m/11.5% @walltowall @VictorianSlum http://overnights.tv

Overnights.tv ‏@overnightstv 33s33 seconds ago
#GinosHiddenItaly came back with 2.9m/13.6% @ITVShiver @Ginofantastico http://overnights.tv

Overnights.tv ‏@overnightstv 47s47 seconds ago
#ColdFeet won its slot again: 4.6m/22.6%. Last ep very poignant for #WorldMentalHealthDay @bigtalk @celspellman http://overnights.tv

Overnights.tv ‏@overnightstv 21s22 seconds ago
#MadeInChelsea returned with 490k/2.4% @E4Chelsea @MonkeyTVCasting @Tiffany_W13 @SamThompsonUK @JuliusCowdrey http://overnights.tv
0 replies 0 retweets 0 likes

Overnights.tv ‏@overnightstv 1m1 minute ago
#Drifters debuted on E4 with 242k/1.5% @BwarkProd @jessicaknappett @brettgoldstein @emeraldfennell @orourkelauren88 @bobbyhirston

Overnights.tv ‏@overnightstv 1m1 minute ago
#DerrenBrown #Miracle debuted with 1.5m/7.8% @DerrenBrown #derrenbrownmiracle http://overnights.tv

Looks like it has maintained it's number from last week.

Not sure if it is doing enough for another series, but I hope that ITV do give it a chance, assuming that the cast are up for it

BBC1 gave it a free pass - 1.8m for Reggie Yates in Chicago

I think John Thompson has suggested that ITV have given the green light.