UK TV Chart - w/e 18th October 2009

Here's the rundown of the Top 20 most popular UK TV programmes or series for the week ending Sunday 18th October 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. 'Rpt' denotes repeated broadcast or film

1) The X Factor (ITV1)....................12.98 *
2) Doc Martin (ITV1).......................9.49
3) Coronation Street (ITV1)................9.10 *
4) EastEnders (BBC1).......................8.85 *
5) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1)............8.44
6) Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV1,Sat).........7.35
7) Football World Cup Qualified (ITV1, Wed)7.65
8) Emmerdale (ITV1)........................6.89 *
9) Life (BBC1, Mon)........................6.84
10) All Star Family Fortunes (ITV1).........6.64
11) Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix (BBC1,Sun)
6.63
12) New You've Been Framed! (ITV1)..........6.56
13) Benidorm (ITV1).........................6.38
14) Countryfile (BBc1)......................5.79
15) (Holby City (BBC1).......................5.73
15) (Have I Got News For You (BBC1)..........5.73
17) Blue Murder (ITV1)......................5.15
18) Casualty (BBC1).........................5.04
19) National Lottery draws (BBC1, Sat)......4.98
20) The Armstrong and Miller Show (BBC1)....4.68

BBC: 10 ITV: 10

Chart commentary: With the upper reaches of the chart still dominated by the powerhouse of The X Factor and with ITV1's Doc Martin growing in popularity and now overtaking the soaps, not much to see in the Top 10. In the lower reaches it's notable how trusty old Saturday night warhorse Casualty is losing support, slipping to the edge of the chart. This may because of the fact that X Factor and Strictly dominate Saturday nights (and indeed all TV coverage, it seems) to the exclusion of anything else or maybe that the show is a bit tired now and needs a long break. Elsewhere good to see the first episode of the second series of Armstrong of Miller edge into the Top 20 and a decent figure for the umpteenth series of Have I Got News For You. ITV's Family Fortunes and New You've Been Framed remain bafflingly popular and,as we'll see next week, BBC1's clever plan of resting Merlin for a week may have had a devastating effect on its future prospects as the episode screened most recently had the series' lowest ever figure, a number which will see it down at the lower end of the Top 20. Frustrating that BBC1 makes far and away the best shows but remains clueless as to how to schedule them properly. Way to go, BBC1!!