Yep.
5.25 Hole in the Wall
5.55 Merlin
6.40 SCD
8.10 Lottery
9.00 Casualty.
9.50 Not available, put prob LB (25mins) followed by news at 10.15
10.30 MOTD

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pro...wk43/sat.shtml

Too early for Merlin - it needs to follow SCD.
40 minute clash between SCD & XF.

It's starting to look as if the plan is to run Merlin before SCD, except if there's an England game on ITV1. Don't know if there's another Saturday England game in October.

After Kazakhstan, the next Saturday England game is October 2009 - I wonder if Merlin will return for another 13 part run at this time of year?

Oh, I didn't realise the next Saturday game was that far away.

I expect they'd like to show Merlin next autumn, if they make a second series, and if it's ready in time. Doctor Who won't be ready by autumn 2009, and I expect Robin Hood will have been shown before autumn.

I like Harry Hill but last year towards the end of its run (was it 13 weeks) I just got bored as it seemed to run out of steam - not sure it can sustain 25 weeks especially if its used as a filler to take on big shows on BBC1. Would be better suited to short runs of 6 weeks spread across the year.

Bad news for ITV there, with X Factor clashing against SCD for 40 mins (unless ITV change their schedule). If ITV want the X Factor to get the best rating possible, they really should move the results show to Sundays in my opinion.

It would be better to split them up as two series.

I think they should just stump up and pay Syco/Talkback Thames to produce a live show. They are going to make it 45 minutes anyway and the benefits might be worth it. They could have X Factor from 7.15pm until 8pm followed by Britannia High on a Sunday night and then two hour dramas.

I just can't see Cowell being happy to take the negative effects of the Sunday show while ITV get the positives. He has said he would do it if it were live, the question for ITV is whether they want to pay for it.

The alternative for ITV is to put XF at 6.30pm.

ITV have just shifted their schedule backwards by 5 minutes. Very strange, as the XF and SCD clash is now 45 minutes. However, this year, SCD has been going down when XF comes on, which has never happened before, so both shows will be harmed.

Wow NCIS is really popular this season. The Dancing With The Stars results show always used to win its timeslot!!

And it looks like ABC is the channel of choice for news coverage now.

Axe Danni Minogue to pay for it!

Whatever they do, they need to make a decision and stick to it. The continual swapping isn't really doing them much good. A week ago, I'd have said it would struggle in the earlier slot without a lead in, but it performed well there last saturday and the situation will surely only improve with the longer nights drawing in.

ITV are in a bit of a no-win situation with the X Factor now. They either clash substantially with Strictly or have the results show ridiculously late. I think their schedule is the best compromise. The results show might be slightly down, but the main show could hit some huge peaks at around 9pm.

http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsSe...chTime=06%3A00

ITV1 schedule for 19th October:

14:55 - F1: Chinese Grand Prix
18:00 - News
18:30 - To Be Announced (likely YBF)
19:00 - Best Ever Worst Dance Moments
20:00 - Heartbeat
21:00 - A Touch of Frost

The Britannia High mystery continues.

What sort of world are ITV living in when they think the optimum time for Family Fortunes is 9.30pm? Proper family viewing that, isn't it?

It is silly really, but they've no alternative. If you ask me, they've just got too many saturday night shows, and not enough space for them all! Seems a bit stupid when you consider the sparcity of good family viewing at other points in the year. Perhaps they were banking on convincing Cowell of Sunday Night results shows which would have opened more space across the weekend? There are those slots available between about 6-8 on Sundays for the 'overspill' from Saturday, but a big new show like BH is isolated there without a lead in from an established hit.

Problem is that they have to start X Factor late & need a filler show between it & the results. I suppose it is getting to the stage where the results would be best on a Sunday evening at 6 or 7pm if done live.

The problem with X Factor (OK, a mini dive of topic) is that they are "normal people", I think the chances of somebody whether it be a member of the audience, relative of family member etc leaking the result is a very high possibility - however with SCD, this is unlikely as they are celebrities and I guess X Factor has a much bigger internet fan base than SCD.

On another note, this "Greatest City" thing on ITV1 tonight I think will flop.

I predict it will get between 4.5m - 5m actually!

It would have standed a chance at that if ITV hadn't put it up against Paul Merton's travelogue and Silent Witness.

If it breaks 4m, then it's done well.

COULDN'T RESIST A PREDICTABLE REPLY ALERT!



But I thought things are always done well on "Well Done ITV!"?

Its bizarre that two and a half men seems so popular in Oz.

Nope, there's a strong chance that this will do badly, simply because of the slot (and obviously, we don't know the quality of it yet).

James Lindsey? Sluming it on DS tonight?

Greatest Cities of the World led straight into News at Ten - should do better than usual depending on the lead-in figure.