That sounds good, although 2 and a half hours of BGT seems a bit too much. How about having it as 90 minutes, with Benidorm afterwards. Also, the timings need slight changes to keep in line with BBC1, using the same shows plus Benidorm, it could look like this:

15.00 The Queen
15.10 Panto Time
16.45 Celebrity Who Wants To Be A Millionnaire?
17.45 Christmas Night Takeaway (shortened by removing the phone in competition)
18.45 ITV News and Weather
19.00 Emmerdale
19.30 Coronation Street
20.00 Britain's Got Talent 2008
21.30 Benidorm
22.30 ITV News and Weather

True, but generally tour shows are that long, around an hour and a quarter each part. I suppose it could be cut down to 90 minutes, with maybe a Christmas special of Primeval or Wild at Heart, running up to the start of the series proper, before it. Maybe the news pushed back so Prime Time can be given a longer slot:

17.45 ITV News and Weather
18.00 Christmas Night Takeaway
19.15 Primeval/Wild at Heart Christmas Special
20.15 Emmerdale
20.45 Coronation Street
21.15 Britain's Got Talent 2008
22.45 ITV News and Weather

I was just thinking, ITV will want a phone in on Ant and Dec whatever, the time there was a producer's strike, they managed to get out of it by filming early, and slotting the names up on screen. Anything for money . So I think they'd want the extra 15 minutes for CNT.

Secondly, I reckon ITV will not want something like Benidorm to be 'wasted' (no offence lol ) on a night where they already have an audience pulling show. By placing BGT on, they can use Benidorm in another slot (say Boxing Day or New Year's Day) and use that as a focal point to set the rest of the shows around.

Yeah that sounds better, some very good ideas there. BGT could probably be quite easily cut to 90 minutes. Normally, the running time would be fine, but I can't see many people commiting themselves to a 2 and a half hour show on Christmas Day.


I can see where your coming from about Benidorm, they could air that on Boxing Day (Christmas Eve would be throwing it away), but wasn't that pre-recorded Ant and Dec show before the phone in scandals? I can't see them being so keen to have one on Christmas Day now.

Very true, people might cut in and out of shows which are that long, while at 90 minutes...TBH, most Christmas dramas are that long, so people should be able to cope with that better. All depends what BBC1 set against it, but whatever they do, ITV should do better than last year.


I don't think ITV'll care much about it, Christmas Day isn't there greatest day for revenue, leading to their lack of attempt last year. Anything to add a bit of money to the coffers, and they'll take it. Plus, by the time December comes around, the phone scandals won't be at the front of many people's minds, so they should get away with it without too much problem.

Even if they didn't want to run the phone ins, they could still run the studio competition, plus add a Christmas game or something into the running order to pad out the extra 15 minutes.

Great ratings for BB last night, its finally doing well and above 3million every weekday this week
Everything else doing as expected
but why has Friday Night with Jonathan Ross gone down, i'm sure it used to do much better

About the ITV Christmas schedule, does anyone else think Benidorm wont feel right on at Christmas and please no BGT, I have had enough of that this year.

Benidorm will feel slightly odd at Christmas but they might give it a bit of a 'Christmassy feel'.

How about Dancing On Ice: The Show? Or I'm A Celebrity: Bushtucker's Revenge?

Though I'd have thought that ITV would be pushing their luck, having Ant and Dec on twice in one night.

Really? I thought Echo Beach had been given another series. I guess I need to follow these developments a bit more closely...

Given the first episode got 1.3m in an awkward timeslot, and is likely to be in Five's top 10 highest rated programmes of the week when the officials come out, I have to say your idea of "not very well" conflicts considerably with mine.

Decnt ratings for Superstars but as a big fan, I was underwhelmed.

It was almost an intro show, next week's looks far better though.

I'd like to see Fincham push the boat out at Christmas and show ITV1's not all about the advertising (impressing viewers = changing perceptions = people coming back to ITV).

I would suggest this marathon schedule of brilliance to slosh all over the BBC...

5.50 ITV News
6.00 Harry Hill's Christmas Burp
6.30 Emmerdale
7.30 Coronation Street
8.00 Britain's Got Christmas Talent
9.00 Coronation Street
9.35 Doc Martin Christmas Special
10.35 Benidorm Christmas Special
11.35 Christmas Headcases
11.35 ITV News

Would never happen, but nevermind! If it did though, I think the BBC's counter would be:

6.00 EastEnders
6.30 Strictly Come Dancing
8.00 Doctor Who
9.00 My Family Christmas Special
9.35 EastEnders
10.00 The Royale Family Christmas Special
11.00 BBC News

Or something. I think then, EE would beat Harry Hill, Strictly would win against Emmerdale but Corrie's first ep would still average higher than Strictly, BGT and Doctor Who would be neck and neck (hard to tell who would win), Corrie's second would beat My Family, EastEnders would beat Doc Martin and The Royale Family would beat Benidorm and Headcases. But I think ITV would still do better with Corrie and BGT winning 3 of the slots.

I think putting primeval directly against Dr Who would be ratings suicide for ITV.

The BBC wouldn't put DW on as late as 8pm, even at Xmas. They had the option earlier this year instead of the much complained about 6.20 slot, but said 8pm is too late.

EastEnders at 9:35?

"If you just missed this, catch it on BBC Three NOW!"

A few Christmas ago it was on 9-10pm.

Interesting ideas for ITV1's Christmas Day.

I presume the BBC will probably adopt a similar approach to last year in the hope of emulating the success, so I would expect:

6.30 EastEnders
7.00 Doctor Who Christmas Special
8.00 EastEnders
8.30 Strictly Come Dancing
9.30 The Royle Family Christmas Special

To combat this, I feel ITV would do well to focus on the latter end of the evening. The EastEnders sandwich from 6.30 - 8.30 is pretty formidable and rather than directly competing, I think ITV should probably look to appeal to an alternative audience in this slot. Perhaps something like a Christmas Night Takeaway at 7 to attract the (quite significant) non-Doctor Who audience we saw for All Star Mr and Mrs in the spring. I think with the BBC schedule the way it is, ITV's real chance at big numbers comes after the second EastEnders at 8.30. Although SCD provides difficult opposition, a good performance from Corrie could provide a big number and lead into something like a Britains Got Talent or Dancing on Ice Christmas Special at 9.30, providing another slot win. They could follow this with Benidorm taking a significant lead in.

6.00 Emmerdale
6.30 Harry Hills Christmas TV Burp
7.00 Ant and Decs Christmas Night Takeaway
8.00 Anyone got any ideas???
8.30 Coronation Street
9.30 Britains Got Talent Christmas Special (or DOI?)
10.30 Benidorm Christmas Special

I think that's a bit late myself, whereas the timings last year were pretty much spot on IMO.

My guess at BBC1...

2.00 Top of the Pops
3.00 The Queen
3.10 FILM PREMIERE: The Incredibles
5.05 News, Weather
5.15 My Family
5.45 Wallace and Gromit
6.15 EastEnders
6.45 Doctor Who
8.00 Strictly Come Dancing
9.00 EastEnders
9.30 The Royle Family
10.30 Gavin and Stacey

Eastenders?

i dont think ITV really care about xmas day anymore and i dont blame them, they should just put all there good shows in the week between xmas and new year, but here is my my guess anyway:

BBC 1

10:30 SANTACLAUSE 2
12:00 TOTP SPECIAL
1:00 FILM PREMIER
3:00 QUEEN
3:10 FILM PREMIER
5:? News stats when film ends
6:00 Wallace and gromet
6:30 EASTENDERS
7:00 DR WHO
8:00 SCD Special
9:00 EASTENDERS
9:30 Hour program
10:30 Comedy special
11:00 adult film premier

Mostly like last year.. if i worked at ITV this would be mine


5:00 NEWS
5:30 DOI make me a star
7:00 EMMERDALE
8:00 CORRIE
9:00 BOND over the years
9:30 CASINO ROYAL!

ITV might actualy have a slight chance then :P

In my opinion the BBC will go for something like:

15:00 The Queens Speech
15:10 Film: The Incredibles (111 mins)
17:00 Film: Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-rabbit (85 mins)
18:25 BBC News
18:35 Regional News
18:40 EastEnders
19:10 Doctor Who
20:10 EastEnders
20:40 Strictly Come Dancing Special
or for a change, but will never happen Top Gear: The Biggest Challenge ever
21:30 Royal Family Christmas Special
22:30 BBC News
22:40 Christmas Day with Jonathan Ross

With itv1 doing some thing like this:

15:00 The Queens Speech
15:10 Lights! Camera! The Queen!
16:00 All Star Mr and Mrs
17:00 Film: The Polar Express or something similar
19:00 Emmerdale
20:00 News
20:10 Harry Hill's Christmas TV Burp
20:40 Coronation Street
21:40 Benidorm
22:40 News
22:50 Film

EastEnders has lost five minutes and Corrie's gained five minutes

Ok, seriously, good idea, but I doubt ITV will want to put Benidorm on at such a late time, as it's a Christmas special of a programme which has been a big hit earlier in the year. Unless it's going to be a repeat, and it first aired earlier in Christmas week.

Doc Martin'll be thrashed by EastEnders if the latter has a hard hitting storyline to air on Christmas Day. And people'll just hang around for The Royle Family afterwards (if that is BBC's plan). Hence the idea of airing something like BGT, something as far away from drama as possible, offering up a clear alternative.


Wild at Heart, then. Appeals to a different kind of audience to Doctor Who.

10.30 is still a fairly good slot on Christmas night. The Catherine Tate show performed quite well in that slot for BBC One last year.

I thought I might take this opportunity to highlight the Christmas highlights thread:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...ristmas+Thread

Some of this discussion might be very relevant in there, less the forum police show up and accuse us of wandering slightly off topic. Though we are discussing what could be most successful ratings-wise, so i think we're relevant - I love how this thread can wander off into new and interesting directions