Confirmed schedules for Christmas 2021

[London Lite]

The rating last night isn’t terrible for 10.20pm. Obviously nothing like what it used to get but the share was over 20% and it will no doubt consolidate a fair bit.

As others have said, they’ve got nothing else to go there. If they didn’t do MBB they’d probably just show the Vicar of Dibley repeat half an hour earlier, so they might as well carry on for as long as the numbers are passable.

And more importantly, it still attracts an audience of older adults who may not watch BBC output otherwise. MBB does for older people what BBC Three will do for 15-34s when it returns to linear tv in February.

[Brekkie]

Never heard anyone say BBC1 trends too young. Strictly and Call the Midwife surely doing that job.

The problem is BBC comedy generally trends younger but mainly comes from BBC2 or BBC3, but even so one of them getting an outing on BBC1 on the big day, even if after MBB, would be more reflective of the comedy slate across the BBC.


Moving away from the BBC and watching Sky Atlantics' Landscapers tonight. One of the best things I've seen all year and real piece of TV theatre rather than just another true crime drama. Highly recommend it.

[London Lite]

Never heard anyone say BBC1 trends too young. Strictly and Call the Midwife surely doing that job.

I doubt the anti older BBC crowd would watch those two shows.

[tellyblues]

The problem is BBC comedy generally trends younger but mainly comes from BBC2 or BBC3, but even so one of them getting an outing on BBC1 on the big day, even if after MBB, would be more reflective of the comedy slate across the BBC.

Depends if they have a festive themed episode or not, which is maybe why Bad Education and Cuckoo managed to get an outing (albeit very late) on BBC1 last week.

There's also the problem of regular viewers turning their noses up at something that doesn't usually air on BBC1, which has been the case with BBC3 shows in recent times, so they probably want to avoid that even if it is a dead slot.

[Brekkie]

They don't care to much for those that turn up their nose at the regular line up though. Ideally it would be something new but Cuckoo is so underrated and of the repeated Christmas specials this year one of my favourites- helped by not knowing it off by heart unlike the more familiar annual reruns.

[thebigdog2020]

Some more Christmas ratings for Christmas Eve & Boxing Day from Liam Hamilton

https://twitter.com/LiamHamilton16/statu...6490365967

https://twitter.com/LiamHamilton16/statu...1275979776

[tellyblues]

They don't care to much for those that turn up their nose at the regular line up though.

Disappointing casual viewers is more manageable than annoying the core audience.

[thebigdog2020]

Agree on both counts regarding Mrs Brown and a show that doesn't make the top 10 shouldn't be renewed for 5 years with a guaranteed Christmas Day slot. Indeed if they want to give it a chance to rebuild it's ratings it may fair better elsewhere.

Correct if I am wrong but was this Christmas the first time Mrs Brown has been outside the top 10 since it has been on Christmas Day on BBC One, some years it was even number 1 but I agree it is past it's best now (although I thought this year was an improvement on the past few years). Surely Not Going Out, Ghosts or Would I Lie to You? could go in the slot around 10pm, after all Mrs Brown's Boys wasn't that far ahead of a Vicar of Dibley repeat from 2006.

[Brekkie]

I think so. Will be interesting to see the consolidated ratings though as suspect it might pick up quite well there. It was probably all the better by not being overtly Christmassy considering they've had a decade to cover all the Christmas clichés.

Do the early showings on the ITV Hub get included in the overnights or do they have to wait till the official figures. Suspect they're rather negligible anyway - probably 0.1m at most.

[RR]

Do the early showings on the ITV Hub get included in the overnights or do they have to wait till the official figures. Suspect they're rather negligible anyway - probably 0.1m at most.

No - per the BBC:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-59794242

This year, ITV put its Christmas Day shows on its on-demand player in the morning. People watching in that way are not reflected in the overnight figures, but will be included in the consolidated figures, which come out in just over a week's time.

[tellyblues]

Haven't seen any figures for A Star Is Born or Judy, which both premiered in prime time.

Thought ITV could have done with a few this year but at least they now know what shows are done given they can't perform in plum festive slots.

[Newshound47]

I think for next New Year the BBC need to go for a more well known artist. Olly Alexander doesn’t have any well known hits and was a poor choice for a night where the audience leans older.

[HEW2343]

4.3 Million for the first part of the New Year's & Year's concert and 4.8 Million for part 2.

[thebigdog2020]

I think for next New Year the BBC need to go for a more well known artist. Olly Alexander doesn’t have any well known hits and was a poor choice for a night where the audience leans older.

4.3 Million for the first part of the New Year's & Year's concert and 4.8 Million for part 2.

11 million for the fireworks as well, agree but on the point Olly Alexander while very talented wouldn't be universally known like previous concerts featuring Queen & Adam Lambert, Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams etc and all seemed to have bigger viewing figures.

[Brekkie]

Sometimes it is about more than ratings though and it was clear from comments last night giving Olly such a flagship slot was appreciated by many for the statement it makes.