Ratings - Top-Rated Shows Witness Decline in Festive Viewers

Ratings - Top-rated shows witness decline in festive viewers.

Broadcast Magazine - 14 January, 2005

Here's a number sequence to shake off the new year blues - 21.3 million, 17.4 million, 16.4 million, 12.8 million. No, it's not one of those irritating sequences that maths teachers think are amusing, rather the highest-rated BBC1 Christmas Day programmes for the past four years. One thing to note - each year the number gets smaller and this year, with 12.8 million, is the lowest. That 12.8 million top-rated Christmas Day show was BBC1's EastEnders at 8.30pm, followed by The Vicar of Dibley at 9.30pm on BBC1 with 12.5 million. A year ago, Only Fools and Horses had 16.4 million. Using half-hour data for Christmas Day 2001 and comparing it with 2004's Christmas Day at 9.30pm, we discover that the total audience watching TV was 28.9 million compared with 27.2 million.

Another point of difference - a lot more people were watching other channels this year. In 2001 at 9.30pm, there were 3.6 million watching multichannel TV. This year there were 5 million. It puts a different gloss on the traditional view of Christmas, namely that almost everyone tunes into BBC1. In the multichannel world, Christmas Day was a special day for Little Britain as BBC3 stuffed its schedules with a huge dollop of the hit comedy. Its 10pm instalment was the top-rated multichannel show of the day, achieving 900,000 viewers and 5% share at 10pm, with only BBC1 and ITV1 ahead of it. BBC3 had almost 2% multichannel primetime share on Christmas night. The channel was more popular than BBC2, which had a primetime multichannel share of 1.85%, with Five on 2.5% and C4 on 2.8%. Little Britain had six of the top 10 places in this week's satellite table. Popular to be sure, but no match for a big Christmas family movie.

This year's Christmas Day winner was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, on BBC1 at 6.10pm, with 8.4 million. But it wasn't the biggest film of the holiday - that honour went to Shrek, also on BBC1, on Christmas Eve at 6.40pm, with 9.5 million. As a column of record, I feel obliged to report on other traditional favourites: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, on BBC1 on Christmas Eve at 1pm, was just outside the top 10 with 2.7 million; on Boxing Day, ITV1 brought us Mary Poppins at 10.50am with 2.4 million, while Five gave us The Wizard of Oz at 4.30pm with 1.8 million. The most watched TV show by children over Christmas was Shrek with 1.8 million - Harry Potter had 1.24 million. On Christmas Eve, BBC1's Sleeping Beauty Uncovered at 10am was the most watched children's Christmas programme by children, with just short of 600,000 viewers. Mid-morning on Christmas Day there were 1.5 million children watching TV and 60% of them were watching multichannel TV. The children's audience peaked at 8pm that evening at 3 million, of which 16% were watching multichannel TV.

A final Christmas conundrum: BBC2's Grumpy Old Women at Christmas on Tuesday night at 9pm was the highest-rated show in the minority table this week with 4.95 million, achieving exactly the same number as ITV1's Teenagers From Hell, also on Tuesday at 9pm. Who had control of the remote that night?

TOP 75 NETWORK PROGRAMMES

1 Coronation Street Mon 19.35 13.13m ITV1 Granada

2 EastEnders Sat 20.30 12.82m BBC1

3 The Vicar of Dibley Sat 21.30 12.52m BBC1 Tiger Aspect

4 EastEnders Mon 20.00 12.15m BBC1

5 Coronation Street Mon 20.30 12.11m ITV1 Granada

6 Coronation Street Sat 19.25 11.99m ITV1 Granada

7 EastEnders Fri 20.00 11.85m BBC1

8 EastEnders Tue 19.30 11.77m BBC1

9 Coronation Street Wed 19.30 11.57m ITV1 Granada

10 Coronation Street Fri 20.30 11.48m ITV1 Granada

10 Coronation Street Sun 19.30 11.48m ITV1 Granada

12 Christmas Lights Mon 21.00 11.21m ITV1 Granada

13 EastEnders Thu 19.30 10.77m BBC1

14 Coronation Street Fri 19.30 10.53m ITV1 Granada

15 EastEnders Sun 20.00 10.26m BBC1

16 BBC News Sat 22.20 9.88m BBC1

17 Emmerdale Mon 19.00 9.75m ITV1 Granada

18 Shrek Fri 18.40 9.51m BBC1

19 Emmerdale Tue 19.00 9.50m ITV1 Granada

20 Strictly Come Dancing Wed 22.00 9.23m BBC1

21 Strictly Come Dancing Wed 20.00 9.00m BBC1

22 Casualty @ Holby City Sun 20.30 8.91m BBC1

22 My Family Fri 21.00 8.91m BBC1

24 Emmerdale Wed 19.00 8.87m ITV1 Granada

25 Harry Potter/Philosopher's Stone Sat 18.10 8.38m BBC1

26 Emmerdale Thu 19.00 8.34m ITV1 Granada

27 Emmerdale Sat 18.55 7.76m ITV1 Granada

28 Emmerdale Fri 19.00 7.58m ITV1 Granada

29 What Not to Wear Wed 21.00 7.42m BBC1

30 Strictly Ice Dancing Sun 18.30 7.24m BBC1

31 Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Fri 21.00 7.23m ITV1 Celador

32 ITV Evening News Sat 18.45 7.10m ITV1 ITN

33 Midsomer Murders Sat 20.30 6.90m ITV1 Bentley

34 Weakest Link Fri 17.50 6.76m BBC1

35 The Bill Wed 20.00 6.75m ITV1 Thames

36 Holby City Tue 20.00 6.56m BBC1

37 Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Sat 17.45 6.47m ITV1 Celador

38 Only Fools and Horses Thu 21.00 6.37m BBC1

39 Absolutely Fabulous Sat 22.35 6.34m BBC1

40 The National Lottery Draws Fri 21.50 6.25m BBC1

41 Outtake TV Fri 20.30 6.15m BBC1

42 EastEnders Christmas Party Thu 20.00 6.03m BBC1

43 The British Comedy Awards Wed 21.00 5.99m ITV1

44 The Bill Thu 20.00 5.98m ITV1 Thames

45 Sherlock Holmes/Silk Stocking Sun 21.30 5.96m BBC1

46 Heartbeat Sun 20.00 5.95m ITV1 Granada

46 Agatha Christie's Marple Sun 21.05 5.95m ITV1 Granada

48 It'll be Alright on the Night 19 Fri 22.00 5.84m ITV1 Granada

49 The Bill Tue 20.00 5.81m ITV1 Thames

50 A Question of Sport Thu 19.00 5.76m BBC1

51 Denis Norden's 11th Laughter File Sun 18.35 5.73m ITV1 Granada

52 Six O'Clock News Thu 18.00 5.66m BBC1

53 The Queen's Christmas Message Sat 15.00 5.65m BBC1

54 The Big Impression Sat 17.35 5.62m BBC1 Vera

54 BBC News Fri 22.00 5.62m BBC1

56 BBC News Fri 17.25 5.48m BBC1

57 BBC News Sat 17.30 5.47m BBC1

57 Parkinson Sat 22.35 5.47m ITV1 Granada

59 Little Britain Thu 22.15 5.45m BBC1

60 Six O'Clock News Mon 18.00 5.35m BBC1

61 BBC News Wed 22.15 5.33m BBC1

62 ITV Evening News Fri 18.45 5.13m ITV1 ITN

62 102 Dalmatians Sat 15.55 5.13m BBC1

64 Six O'Clock News Tue 18.00 5.05m BBC1

65 Armageddon Mon 20.30 4.99m BBC1

66 Watchdog Tue 19.00 4.97m BBC1

67 Teenagers From Hell Tue 21.00 4.95m ITV1 Granada

67 Grumpy Old Women at Christmas Tue 21.00 4.95m BBC2

69 Weakest Link Wed 19.00 4.94m BBC1

69 Ten O'Clock News Mon 22.00 4.94m BBC1

71 Six O'Clock News Wed 18.00 4.93m BBC1

72 Holiday Mon 19.00 4.87m BBC1

72 Celebrity Mastermind Sun 19.30 4.87m BBC1

74 BBC News Sun 23.10 4.80m BBC1

75 Antiques Roadshow: Next Gen Sun 17.35 4.78m BBC1

Programmes timed under five minutes and omnibus editions (eg soaps) are excluded and production credits supplied by broadcasters

TOP 10 FACTUAL

1 What Not to Wear Wed 21.00 7.42m BBC1

2 The Queen's Xmas Message Sat 15.00 5.65m BBC1

3 Watchdog Tue 19.00 4.97m BBC1

3 Teenagers From Hell Tue 21.00 4.97m ITV1

5 Grumpy Old Women Tue 21.00 4.95m BBC2

6 Holiday Mon 19.00 4.87m BBC1

7 Antiques Roadshow Sun 17.35 4.78m BBC1

8 River Cottage Xmas Feast Thu 20.00 4.31m C4

9 Tonight/Trevor McDonald Mon 20.00 4.27m ITV1

10 Before They Were Famous Sat 23.15 4.04m BBC1

TOP 10 DRAMA

1 Christmas Lights Mon 21.00 11.21m ITV1

2 Casualty @ Holby City Sun 20.30 8.91m BBC1

3 Midsomer Murders Sat 20.30 6.90m ITV1

4 The Bill Wed 20.00 6.75m ITV1

5 Holby City Tue 20.00 6.56m BBC1

6 The Bill Thu 20.00 5.98m ITV1

7 Sherlock Holmes/Silk Stock Sun 21.30 5.96m BBC1

8 Heartbeat Sun 20.00 5.95m ITV1

8 Agatha Christie's Marple Sun 21.05 5.95m ITV1

10 The Bill Tue 20.00 5.81m ITV1

TOP 10 FILMS

1 Shrek Fri 18.40 9.51m BBC1

2 Harry Potter/Philosopher's Sat 18.10 8.38m BBC1

3 102 Dalmations Sat 16.00 5.13m BBC1

4 Armageddon Mon 20.30 4.99m BBC1

5 The Princess Diaries Fri 15.35 4.24m BBC1

6 Santa Claus Sat 12.10 3.22m BBC1

7 Chocolat Fri 21.00 3.15m BBC2

8 Father of the Bride 2 Thu 16.20 2.99m BBC1

9 Death on the Nile Sun 15.45 2.93m ITV1

10 Paulie Mon 16.00 2.88m BBC1

TOP 10 CHILDREN'S

1 My Parents Are Aliens Tue 16.30 0.60m ITV1

2 Sleeping Beauty Uncovered Fri 10.00 0.58m BBC1

3 Arthur Fri 09.00 0.51m BBC1

4 Atomic Betty Tue 15.59 0.46m ITV1

5 Atomic Betty Mon 15.59 0.45m ITV1

6 My Parents Are Aliens Mon 16.30 0.44m ITV1

7 Looney Tunes Wed 10.56 0.41m BBC1

7 The Story of Tracy Beaker Wed 10.17 0.41m BBC1

9 Atomic Betty Wed 16.01 0.40m ITV1

9 Get Your Own Back Wed 10.32 0.40m BBC1

TOP 10 ENTERTAINMENT

1 The Vicar of Dibley Sat 21.30 12.52m BBC1

2 Strictly Come Dancing Wed 22.00 9.23m BBC1

3 Strictly Come Dancing Wed 20.00 9.00m BBC1

4 My Family Fri 21.00 8.91m BBC1

5 Strictly Ice Dancing Sun 18.30 7.24m BBC1

6 Who Wants to/Millionaire? Fri 21.00 7.23m ITV1

7 Weakest Link Fri 17.50 6.76m BBC1

8 Who Wants to/Millionaire? Sat 17.45 6.47m ITV1

9 Only Fools and Horses Thu 21.00 6.37m BBC1

10 Absolutely Fabulous Sat 22.35 6.34m BBC1

CHANNEL OVERVIEW WEEK 51 BBC1 BBC2 ITV1 C4 Five Others Total Average hours per viewer 7.95 2.73 6.53 2.66 1.45 8.25 29.56 Daytime share (%) 23.2 10.8 15.4 11.5 3.7 35.5 100.0 Peaktime share (%) w/c 20.12.04 32.0 8.5 29.7 6.2 4.8 18.9 100.0 Peaktime share (%) w/c 22.12.03 32.3 10.0 29.1 7.8 4.0 16.7 100.0 YEAR TO DATE Average hours per viewer 6.38 2.58 5.90 2.52 1.71 6.77 25.87 Audience share (%) 24.7 10.0 22.8 9.8 6.6 26.2 100.0 Audience share (%) 2003 25.6 11.0 23.7 9.4 6.5 23.6 100.0

TOP 25 BBC2, CHANNEL 4 AND FIVE

1 Grumpy Old Women at Christmas Tue 21.00 4.95m BBC2

2 River Cottage Christmas Feast Thu 20.00 4.31m C4

3 Weakest Link Tue 17.20 3.66m BBC2

4 Weakest Link Mon 17.20 3.62m BBC2

5 Back on Jimmy's Farm Thu 21.00 3.55m BBC2

6 Weakest Link Thu 17.15 3.52m BBC2

7 Weakest Link Wed 17.20 3.50m BBC2

8 The Simpsons Mon 18.00 3.33m C4

9 Top Gear Sun 20.30 3.30m BBC2

10 Grumpy Old Men Thu 22.00 3.29m BBC2

11 Chocolat Fri 21.00 3.15m BBC2

12 The Simpsons Wed 18.00 3.10m C4

13 The Simpsons Tue 18.00 3.08m C4

14 The Simpsons Thu 18.00 3.01m C4

15 The Simpsons Fri 18.00 2.98m C4

16 Porridge Tue 22.00 2.94m BBC2

17 University Challenge Mon 20.30 2.74m BBC2

18 Ready, Steady, Cook Tue 16.35 2.70m BBC2

19 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Tue 22.00 2.68m Five

20 Hollyoaks Mon 18.30 2.66m C4

21 Ready, Steady, Cook Mon 16.30 2.60m BBC2

22 University Challenge Fri 20.30 2.57m BBC2

23 Hollyoaks Wed 18.30 2.54m C4

24 The Simpsons Sat 15.35 2.52m C4

25 Wife Swap Tue 20.00 2.48m C4

TOP 10 MULTICHANNEL ONLY

1 Ford Super Sunday Sun 17.45 1.05m Sky Sports 1

2 Little Britain Sat 22.00 0.90m BBC3

3 Little Britain Tue 21.30 0.87m BBC3

4 Little Britain Wed 21.30 0.84m BBC3

5 The Simpsons Mon 19.00 0.81m Sky One

5 Ford Super Sunday Sun 15.00 0.81m Sky Sports 1

7 Little Britain Thu 21.00 0.76m BBC3

7 Little Britain Tue 21.00 0.76m BBC3

9 The Simpsons Mon 19.30 0.75m Sky One

9 Little Britain Thu 21.30 0.75m BBC3

AUDIENCE SHARE

Other - 27.9% (24.6%)

BBC1 - 26.9% (28.5%)

ITV1 - 22.1% (21.5%)

BBC2 - 9.2% (11.4%)

C4 - 9.0% (9.0%)

Five - 4.9% (4.8%)

Audience share, week ending 26 December 2004 Figure in brackets is for the same week in 2003