I know it's annoying, but it goes with the BBC bashing that certain sections of the press indulge in. Any excuse to bash the Beeb!

I always say this... For a TV show that been going for 9 years, and to still be averaging 7.5m is in this day and age of TV is incredible.

Series 7 up until the series break was on course to be the most watched series along with series 4!

The show here and worldwide has never been more healthy believe it or not!

GBBO ended at 9.28, apparently. No trouble seeing that in the lead, really. It's a big thing which is capable of hijacking British media when a cake melts.

I'm a believer.

Worldwide things are clearly going very well, but as for as Britain...as you say, if the consolidated figures keep around the 7-7.5M mark that will be a great result. Massively consistent. AND that's not taking into account I-player obviously. Which is how I watch most of my telly these days. (Doctor Who naturally being the exception.)

Will be interesting to see how 'Into the Dalek' does with the Cowell thingy crossover. Certainly SCD as a lead in soon will help, too.

Last update until Consolidated:

Live + VOSDAL: 6.795m
+ Day 1: 7.891m
+ Day 2: 8.438m
+ Day 3: 8.619m
+ Day 4: 8.789m
+ Day 5: 8.892m

With numbers that close, I think we could fairly round it up to 9m at this point in time.

Does this mean it won't finish over 9m?

Well we have Day 6 and Day 7 to add on, plus it will also be time adjusted, which may see a few extra thousand added on. So I think 9m is still attainable.

Should definitely make it to 9 million now.

Is it still the case that unique hits to I-player are not included? If so then effectively it probably has already been watched by more than nine million..

I'd assume with i player views, the overall 'reach' of the episode will be well over 10 Million? I asked up thread and apparently BARB aren't factoring in such views at present. Wish they were!

(btw, excellent work, Yog. Much appreciated.)

The BARB is working on a way to include IPlayer stats in the overall viewing figures.

Still a great rating bellow or just over 9m. The BBC will be very happy with that final!

Hopefully we'll get iPlayer figures in the monthly report very soon.

We're ahead of The Impossible Astronaut now, by the way.

Predicting around 5.5m on the overnights this week.

Does X-Factor start tonight - and is there a clash?

I am not surprised with these poor ratings.

I am not expecting tonight's poorly-reviewed episode to garner any extra viewers either.

You remind me of those blokes who hang around town centres with sandwich boards heralding doom and disaster. No one buys a word of it and everyone wonders what's really going on.

I see what you're trying to do....

Sorry? Is somebody there?


There is a 15 minute clash at the end. Capaldi versus Cowell, bare-knuckle, back-street viewing. Seconds out - come on, PC.

Its a shame Strictly isn't back already. It would make quite a 'power couple' for BBC1 on Saturday evening - Doctor Who followed by Strictly. I think that's probably what's going to happen with the second half of Season 8.

No doubt the show will shred viewers tonight, but that's normal. I'm sure that we will be back to overnights of 4.5m - 5m. Hopefully the upcoming good episodes and word of mouth the ratings should creep up a bit!

Gotta get set for the second half's promised paradigm shift.

But then, we also have the episode 4 powerhouse coming up.

Exciting!

It's always exciting when Moffat truly starts investing in his characters.

***

I look forward to tomorrow morning's ratings crisis Wonder if we'll hold on to the Mail's backing.

Let's hope the good Dr sends Mr Cowell and co to see Missy! Time to put the smug self-serving quartet in their place. Be interesting to see how the 8-8:15pm ratings compare....