I don't think there's too much to worry about with EE if you take it as a standalone. The figures are basically level with last year both in overnights and officials. The only difference is Emmerdale is a bit ahead at the moment. It was bound to happen since barely anything of note has happened in Eastenders for the last two months apart from bins and driving tests. The two major storylines (Lee's depression and Phil's alcoholism) are both very long runners, so I don't think there's anything to really entice people to watch at the moment. Last year there was much more sensationalism and stunt story lining, so it's doing well to hold level and shows that perhaps this new direction isn't as bad as people are making out.

That's not how it works. The danceathon is just a way to improve your position or break a tie so the score is simply added to the solo dance score to determine the final position in the leaderboard. That position is the only thing that counts just as it is when they do two solo dances in the semi final so it's 50/50 judge and voter in every round. In any case, there is every indication that Ed is actually winning the vote outright every week making it virtually impossible for him to be knocked out no matter how convoluted they make the scoring as the vote is always the tie breaker.

I don't understand why anybody gives it a second thought to be honest. There are few certainties in life apart from death and taxes but that Eastenders (along with Emmerdale and Corrie) will never be cancelled is one of them. As long as there is any audience at all, which given the number of journalists who make a living out of it is always, it is untouchable.

I don't know if ITV have bothered with a press pack for Christmas for a while now, apart from the highlights pack that doesn't normally go out until after the listings have been confirmed.

They've started addin things to their press centre for the fortnight. The only bit of scheduling we didn't know already there so far is the All Star Mr & Mrs special (thrilling stuff) is currently down for Sunday 18th at 7pm. They'll fill it up over the next few days.

C4 might as well have not bothered with that press release. The phrase polishing a turd springs to mind.

The first provisionals should be out tonight, but Digiguide has been playing up for a while now so we probably won't get them until tomorrow or Friday.

I heard he was averaging 3rd best each week. Louise and Danny score higher with the public. I'd like Ed Balls out. He is ruining it for me this year. Shows how hypocritical and dense some people can be. Spending their times slagging off politicians when they customise their expenses somewhat, then happily allow licence fee money to give the same politician forty grand! Don't worry if he gets kicked out, he'll be fine what with his salary from teaching at Harvard.

3rd in the vote or 3rd overall? I'm not aware that Ed has been implicated in any expenses controversy. If you know different please advise the police. And, just to make your day he gets the same money whether he's knocked out in Week 1 or wins the whole competition so your bitter aside rather loses its edge. Oh, and his most recent appointment at Harvard was for a single year and unpaid but why let fact interfere with a good whine, eh?

What about this for Xmas Day BBC1:



Split EastEnders and Part 2 of Bake Off for Christmas Day. Call The Midwife for Christmas Eve this time round.

Solid viewing for kids with Frozen, Revolting Rhymes and Doctor Who, plus pairing Strictly and Still Open All Hours. No idea how ITV would schedule against it.

Either way my point was that the Sun exclusive about how the judges were plotting to get Ed out was just inconsistent with the show. It will make no difference at all if they vote his main dance bottom on the night (like they have been doing already) as the danceathon cannot make him any lower than that and it is always in the hands of the voting public.

And if his main dance was not the worst and he gets fairly scored in the studio then the judges obviously agree with the public if they do not score him worst that week either.

The scoring system has been well designed to put the power in the hands of the public and it usually works well by the final.

It was the article trying to claim a conspiracy to oust Ed Balls via an insider that I was really finding silly.

Is that the tape checked rating presumably cos ITV Media have reported 8.2m?

It's slot last night was 21.00-22.05 according to my Sky EPG. I think originally it was just until 22.00 so not sure why they extended it by 5-mins.

I really hope they just leave it as it has been for the past couple of years. The Great Christmas Bake Off is not something I would want to watch on Christmas Day, I'd rather watch that on Christmas Eve to be honest.

Eastenders is better as an hour at 9:00pm I wouldn't want to wait 1 hour and 30 minutes for another episode.

Same episode. We start it together, end together and the middle in different rooms.

There is one main box where everything is stored. You then have mini boxes in different rooms that pick up live tv and recordings via intranet from the main box. You can also use tablets and phones.

So you could have up to five people in different rooms all watching the same live channel or five different ones.

Likewise five people can watch the same recording at the same time, or they can start it at different times.

EastEnders in 2 episodes was a classic formula.

I take it you watch Call The Midwife then?

I could have sworn they'd done it like that in a previous year, but my memory is probably way off so I apologise

I agree as well if Ed is topping the vote then there's very little they can do other than put him on at the start of the show with a less memorable routine and hope his vote drops if they want to. (I love Ed and I'd like him for him to be in for a couple more weeks anyway) I totally agree its a non story though.

Christmas Day

BBC One

15:00 The Queen
15:10 Film : Frozen
16:40 The Great Christmas Bake Off
17:40 Doctor Who
18:40 Strictly Come Dancing
19:55 Call the Midwife
21:25 Eastenders
22:25 Mrs Browns Boys
23:00 Tracey Ullman's Sketch Show

ITV

15:00 The Queen
15:10 ITV News
15:25 Film: The Lion King
17:15 ITV News
17:30 Emmerdale
18:30 Blankety Blank
19:30 Coronation Street
20:30 Maigret ]]

duguguide first provisional schedules

I just don't see the point for 2 episodes of Eastenders when they could just do an hour like the other soaps.

The Bake Off would be better on the Wednesday before or Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day I think.

Yes I do watch Call The Midwife and I think it's now become as much a part of Christmas Day as Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing and Eastenders.

Ooh thanks for the provisional info.

The Lion King should prove a nice little number on Christmas Day for ITV.

If people want Ed in the show then he should stay. He won't win, he could top the vote all the way to the semi-final but people will come to their senses when it comes to voting for the actual winner of the show. Perhaps it'd be nice to have some fun in the final.

No news on BBC1?
CTM is 75 minutes
Michael McIntyre on Christmas Eve.

Thank you for this.

4:40pm seems way too early for Bake Off, unless it's a repeat, which would be extremely poor for Christmas Day. No early evening news, either.

More from Digiguide:

Christmas Eve

BBC One

14:15 Film: Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian
16:30 Shrek the Halls
16:50 Penguins of Madagascar
18:15 BBC News
18:30 Pointless
19:25 Michael McIntyre's Big Show
20:25 Eastenders
21:00 David Walliams Celebrates Dame Shirley Basset
22:05 Peter Kay's Comedy Shuffle

ITV

15:20 Film : 101 Dalmations
17:00 You've Been Framed!
17:30 ITV News
18:00 Film: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
21:00 Birds of a Feather
22:00 Through the Keyhole
23:00 ITV News

Two half hour EastEnders episodes uses to be great. They did it in 1986 with Den & Angie. The one in 2007 also worked well going before and after Doctor Who: Voyage Of The Damned. It went to an hour to take on Downton in 2011.

Ethel and Ernest 6.30 Friday 23rd

It was on Channel 4 this year. Hard to keep up with who has which Disney movies.

Who's presenting Blankety Blank? A revival on Christmas Day could do very well or sink without trace.

Those timings are going to change around. You'll see. ITV looks good there.