I can imagine ITV will try and keep Harry Hill as he is their only known comedy face aside from Al Murray. Maybe they should consider giving him a sketch show that could air on a Friday as well as renewing TV Burp.

In regards to the Generation Game, I think unless they find a suitable host then it is going to remain in the archives. I'm surprised that Bruce Forsyth hasn't been asked again. I know he's 80 but he's got more energy and charisma than most TV presenter.

Also, do the BBC own the rights to The Generation Game or could it move to another channel like Blankety Blank in 2001.

Its too physical for him. Paul O'Grady was suggested, but he wasnt able to do it either.

They should try Chris Evans.

I don't know. They did a one-off with Graham Norton a while ago (beginning of 2006??), and before that there were rumours of a disastrous unaired pilot with Paul O'Grady.

When the Gen Game (with Jim Davidson) finished in early 2002, I recall ratings fell to 3.3m against Pop Idol, so if the BBC brought it back for a full series, it would be a bit of a gamble.

rzt could you possibly provide us with the good 'ol ratings graph for yesterday: BBC vs ITV?

Oh, also:
Saturday 6th September:
ITV1 London
5:50pm - Funniest Ever You've Been Framed!
6:50pm - The X Factor
7:50pm - King Kong
11:15pm - ITV News and Weather
11:30pm - That's What I Call Television



Not sure how that'll get on....

rzt have you got the ratings for Wednesday's C4 afternoon lineup?. Deal or No Deal, Wogan and Come Dine With Me.

Thanks

With an official run time of 3h 7m, I wonder how much they'll cut?

K

Wednesday 28th August (all hours): BBC1 (blue) v ITV1 (red) Graph: http://img28.picoodle.com/data/img28...tm_6f84b45.jpg


16.15- Deal or No Deal: 1.6m (19%)
17.00- Wogan's Perfect Recall: 1.4m (14%)
17.30- Come Dine With Me: 1.6m (13%)

King Kong could go either way with ratings, it could do poorly or be successful but I think its running length will affect its performance. It's a great film but it could had an hour easily cut out of it.

ITV will probably show HP in November/December but I bet they are annoyed that Warner Bros have decided to move The Half Blood Prince to the Summer of 2009.

I think that King Kong will get about 5m, and beat the Dance Contest.

As for HP, Family Fortunes (if they want the last episode to be on the night of the XF final) should launch on the 27th, so I can see ITV showing HP on the 20th September, either up against the launch of SCD, or in the King Kong slot after XF.

That will be a real war.

Also, rzt, do you have the figures for The Weakest Link and Golden Balls last night?

Thanks.

Since they can only run 40 mins ad time from 6-11pm of which at least 12 minutes will be during X Factor, I'm guessing not much.

Weakest Link: 1.9m (16%)
Golden Balls: 1.5m (13%)

Golden Balls has levelled out with C4's new stuff even though they are only repeats. The Weakest Link seems down on the figures it used to get (even in the summer, it used to break 2m). I can't see Britain's Best Dish doing very well in the slot from next week.

Thanks rzt.

Britain's Best Dish will do quite well as it's a new series rather than a repeat and food programmes seem to pull in quite good audiences especially in daytime.

BBC1 still doing crap when CBBCrap is on.

I've just seen that the new run of Wire In The Blood is to air on Fridays from September 12 for 8 weeks, with a new series of Al Murray's Happy Hour following it.

To me, Friday doesn't seem like the right day for Wire In The Blood, comedies should be airing there. it's an interesting experiment though, but I'm not sure how well it'll do (although it should get at least 4m, so ITV will be pleased).

Probably the success of Frost & Poirot lead them to do it.

Its good counterprogramming to the BBCs comedy hour.

I can see 5-6m for Wire in the Blood.

This Morning seems to be doing badly. Is it still Eamonn Holmes & family presenting?

Friday 9pm is more for the drama audience than the younger comedy audience... I've always thought this.

I agree as Frost and Poirot have proven and I can see WITB doing quite well although I think they should have done it like Waking the Dead and Silent Witness and have two episodes a week.

I would like to see another comedy block that isn't on a Thursday or a Friday. I would say Monday or Tuesday would be ideal for comedy rather than Thursday or Friday.

Yep..

After being very busy for the past few days I've been able to get back onto the Internet. First of all I'm so pleased that rzt has got his ratings access back and please could I put my first ratings request in?

Emmerdale Uncut-6:30pm-7pm-MON-ITV1

Thank you

Some shock ratings over the past few days:

SUNDAY
Great end to the Olympics and great peaktime for ITV1. Heartbeat taking the top spot of the day and I'm a little surprised it beat Corrie even though it was out of its slot. The Martin Clunes show was perfectly slotted and couldn't have been better-just another factual show which is performing well for ITV which is great.

FIVE and ITV2 also put in very good performances with films boosting their schedules and ITV2 getting a 2.8% share which is great, but probably because of Pretty Woman getting a 6% share!

MONDAY
Great day for FIVER with its film line up performing well. Quite a low finish for New Tricks. ITV1's decision to put one off dramas on Bank Holidays is working well and a good decision imo.

TUESDAY
Quite a low share for ITV1 and I'm not quite sure how, because there's no Olypmics and ITV1 are used to getting 17-18% on Tuesdays with that sort of peaktime line up

Decent start for Mutual Friends, but I think it will fall to the 4 million mark and settle there.

WEDNESDAY
Good night for ITV1 with the soaps putting their best performance of the week so far and slightly denting WDYTYR, because without the football I think WDYTYR could have surpassed 7m.

Also a great ngiht for CH4 with an excellent line up and the 8pm slot getting a boost as some The Bill viewers seemed to switch over. If the BB special had been shown as one show at 9pm it could have got over 4 million, however 28% is great for CH4 at 11pm winning the slot by miles no doubt.

---

Also regarding scheduling decisions I'm still in 2 minds about The Children & Austen. Personally I think Austen should go on Sunday with The Children staying on Monday and Wire In The Blood on Wednesday. I can see why ITV are putting WITB on Friday, but when repeats are getting 4 million new drama isn't going to get much more imo. However with BBC1's comedy not performing & CH4's Ugly Betty aimed at a younger audience WITB could capitalise with around 6 million viewers.

Another reason why TV shouldn't be so obsessed with younger viewers at the expense of older ones.

TV audience in America is getting older

Heartbeat actually became a hit when it started on Friday nights at 9pm many years ago, then it moved to Sunday and really took off!

Last night:

ITV1

Trinny And Susannah Undress The Nation: 2.4m (11%)

C4 (incl. +1)

8.00 How to Look Good Naked: 2.209m
9.00 Big Brother: 3.580m
10.00 The Charlotte Church Show: 1.466m
10.45 Comedy Lab: 691,900
11.15 Comedy Lab: 336,300

I'm disappointed. T&S went up!

Lol

Soap ratings...
18.30- Hollyoaks (C4 inc. +1): 1.3m
19.00- Hollyoaks (E4 inc. +1): 663,600
19.00- Emmerdale: 5.9m (32.2%)
19.30- EastEnders: 7.4m (38.5%)
22.00- EastEnders (BBC3): 837,000 (5%)

Thanks to rzt.

Also The Simpsons got 2.0m including C4+1 for the sake of the ratings game.