UK TV Chart - w/e 23rd August 2009

Here's the rundown of the Top 20 most popular UK TV programmes or series for the week ending Sunday 23rd August 2009 collated from information compiled and presented by BARB. Note that figures for multi-episode TV broadcasts (ie soaps or other shows with more than one episode per week) are rounded up into an average figure for the series and are denoted in the chart by * News broadcasts are excluded from the figures.

1) The X Factor (ITV1).....................11.00
2) Coronation Street (ITV1).................8.37 *
3) New Tricks (BBC1)........................7.60
4) EastEnders (BBC1)........................7.38 *
5) Who Do You Think You Are (BBC1)..........6.48
6) Emmerdale (ITV1).........................5.90 *
7) The Cube (ITV1)..........................5.85
8) Rivers With Griff Rhys Jones (BBC1)......5.71
9) Michael McIntyre Live & Laughing (BBC1)..5.03
10) Holby City (BBC1)........................5.01
11) The Street (BBC1)........................4.88
12) Countryfile (BBC1).......................4.37
13) Jam and Jerusalem (BBC1).................4.24
14) Match of the Day (BBC1)..................4.16
15) Formula 1: European Grand Prix (BBC1)....4.14
16) Lewis (ITV1).............................3.92
17) Coast (BBC2).............................3.66
18) Crimewatch Solved (BBC1).................3.56
19) Dragon's Den (BBC2)......................3.49
20) Outnumbered (BBC1).......................3.43

BBC: 15 ITV: 5

Chart commentary: More humiliation for ITV with only 5 titles in the Top 20. Inevitably the X Factor circus explodes back into the chart with a depressing 11m but otherwise ITV have nothing which captures the public's imagination, able only to struggle into the chart with their two soaps, a repeat of Lewis and the first episode of the Saturday night quiz The Cube, figures for which fell badly for the second episode (final figures available next week). Elsewhere BBC2 scores two entries and BBC1 does well with their usual mix of drama and light factual programming. Nice to see a repeat of the excellent Outnumbered sneak in at no 20 and the last ever episode of BBC1's exemplary drama The Street held its head up high with a shade under 5million. Easy as it is to sneer at and despair of ITV's programming and their poor performance, it's frustrating to see a once-decent broadcaster reliant now on cheapjack talent shows and celebrity competitions to pull in acceptable figures. The problem is that ITV have dug their own grave by alienating a massive audience by simply making shows a lot of people aren't interested in or find just plain insulting. A poor ITV is in no-one's interest, it's far healthier to have two powerful broadcasting networks working against one another. As it is the BBC are leaving ITV drowning in their wake. Wake up, Mr Grade and smell the coffee.