BBC Two had an excellent night.

Everybody seems to have pinned their hopes on NYD somehow reviving EastEnders' fortunes. Even if gets a better rating than usual, the show has major problems. I never thought there would be a time when EastEnders was actually doing badly. The BBC need to consider whether a new multi million pound set is the best option for EE.

BBC4 (Top 3: 7pm-12.35am):
King George and Queen Mary: the Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy (R): 0.61m (2.9%)
Top of the Pops 1982 (7.30pm) (R): 0.42m (2.0%)
2016: a Year in the Life of a Year: 0.39m (2.1%)

Has anybody got Noel Edmonds pilot show Sell or swap ratings from last night?
Thanks

Sky 1: Top 3 (7pm-12.0) (exc. +1):
Delicious: 0.51m (2.5%)
Modern Family: 0.34m (1.6%)
The Simpsons (7.30pm) (R): 0.25m (1.2%)

How is a new set going to entice viewers back to EE? It did nothing for Coronation Street's ratings...

Thought the new set had been put on hold by the Governors given the cuts to the BBC budget.

Great night for BBC Two. That's definitely the highest I've seen QI all series - perhaps helped by the lack of The Last Leg. Marigold and Judi Dench did really well.

Elsewhere, pretty underwhelming last night. Cats Does Countdown looks low and BBC1's film looks to have flopped.

I didn't say it would...

I said the BBC need to reconsider. Meaning they need to think about spending millions of pounds on a new set for a TV show that is currently underperforming in the ratings. The money would be far better spent on new storylines and characters.

I wouldn't have thought that was its purpose. Isn't it being done because the current set has structural problems and is no longer safe for use?

I'm sure Pam St. Clement said something along those lines in a recent interview.

Edit: Found the quote:

“When you think that that show was built and designed, the set was designed, to last max 10 years. It’s just been patched over the years since.

“So if it is going to continue and be part of the schedule it has to be rebuilt for health and safety reasons if nothing else. The thing will fall down otherwise. It’s like anything if you car starts to have bits going wrong with it you either put it right or it falls to pieces.”

I know there's a keenness to write its obituary here but we're still a way off - even on these numbers - the BBC axing EastEnders.

A lot of things have underwhelmed this Christmas. EastEnders was actually getting more than this for some of its regular episodes before Christmas.

Last night's episode was very good so all they can do is ride out the crappy ratings (which are actually, this Christmas, comparative to other shows) and hope they pick up soon.

Thanks Ray.

BBC2 had a great night. Real Marigold is a great show, might become a 5m show on BBC1. Eight Of Ten Cats Does Countdown might be suffering from overexposure?

Meh, nothing really to comment on these ratings. EE trundling along at a very mediocre level.

I'm not entirely surprised World's Strongest Man topped the night for 5. It's the sort of show you watch to laugh at, because of the sheer ridiculousness of it. But it is enjoyable.

Sorry, I misunderstood what you meant!

Poor but expected for EastEnders. Which is a huge shame because it was a superb episode last night - and exacrly what EastEnders can be at the top of its game: powerful, relevant, hard-hitting and gripping in its storytelling. It's a shame that the run-up to Christmas hasn't been at this standard, however.

From rzt:

Captain America 2: 2.82m (14.1%)

Emmerdale: 5.94m (30.3%)
Corrie: 6.87m (33.1%)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: 3.60m (17.8%)

Inc +1 for ITV.

Solid night for ITV. The soaps look decent and Harry Potter got another solid rating. Captain America 2 flopped on its premiere. I've noticed a lot of these superhero movies don't tend to do too well in the ratings. The only ones that have are Avengers Assemble (5.3m) and, to a lesser extent, Iron Man 3 (4.2m).

Harry Potter consistent as ever.

Here's how the New Year Fireworks have rated since 2006:

2015 (23:59-00:13) - 12.54m (62.9%), peak - 12.80m (64.0%)
2014 (23:59-00:10) - 12.32m (62.9%), peak - 13.28m (68.4%)
2013 (23:58-00:12) - 13.70m (67.5%), peak - 14.51m (70.1%)
2012 (23:42-00:14) - 10.30m (56.9%), peak - 13.34m (67.6%)
2011 (23:53-00:14) - 10.92m (55.6%), peak - 12.82m (64.4%)
2010 (23:54-00:13) - 10.25m (52.5%), peak - 11.21m (57.6%)
2009 (23:45-00:10) - 8.41m (48.9%), peak - 10.88m (59.2%)
2008 (23:15-00:19) - 6.05m (37.6%), peak - 10.58m (61.2%)
2007 (23:13-00:14) - 6.30m (37.0%), peak - 9.70m (53.7%)
2006 (23:32-00:28) - 7.10m (44.8%), peak - 10.71m (63.1%)

Poor for Captain America 2 - I suppose the film clash harmed it a bit but that's still not great up against a repeat. That doesn't look too bad for Emmerdale and Coronation Street, considering what we've come to expect from them both.

Captain America - Appalling for such a quality piece of work, one of the best superhero movies made to date.

Emmerdale has had a really good year on the whole, and there is definitely a strong case for it to be considered the second soap above EastEnders.

I just don't think people really buy into superhero movies. It doesn't help that it's so far removed from BBC One's 'typical' audience.

Just dont think it would appeal to most of BBC1 core audience.who are over 60.

Is it time we wheeled out the annual ratings thread awards?

I wonder why 2013 was so abnormally high? Ended up being the most watched show that year.

Ninja Warrior UK returns tonight. Here's how the first two series have done in the overnights - figures include +1:

Series 1
Ep 1 - 3.98m (21.6%)
Ep 2 - 3.72m (20.5%)
Ep 3- 4.57m (25.2%)
Ep 4 - 4.85m (25.4%)
Ep 5 - 4.31m (24.8%)
Ep 6 - 4.67m (27.4%)
Ep 7 - 3.96m (24.3%)
Ep 8 - 3.99m (21.4%)

Series 2
Ep 1 - 4.02m (19.3%)
Ep 2 - 3.16m (14.5%) - aired on Sunday at 7pm
Ep 3 - 4.07m (18.8%)
Ep 4 - 4.28m (20.7%)
Ep 5 - 4.19m (20.7%)
Ep 6 - 4.12m (21.0%)
Ep 7 - 4.31m (21.1%)
Ep 8 - 4.20m (20.3%)

So it has been pretty consistent so far. It is New Year's Eve so I fear it might take a bit of a hit from its normal numbers but hopefully it'll be in the 3m range at least, giving it an opportunity to improve next week.

It has a higher-rating schedule surrounding it than its early 2016 run, so it doesn't have much of an excuse not to hold up.

Well, maybe in the case of The Voice, but last year Ninja Warrior grew throughout the hour and dropped back to 3m after it finished when Take Me Out (but that's probably because it was facing The Voice). It has still got You've Been Framed as a lead-in though.