UK TV Chart - w/e 25th October 2009

Here's the rundown of the Top 20 most popular UK TV programmes or series for the week ending Sunday 25th 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).......................13.41 *
2) Coronation Street (ITV1)...................9.88 *
3) EastEnders (BBC1)..........................9.45 *
4) Doc Martin (ITV1)..........................9.23
5) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1)...............8.88
6) Question Time (BBC1).......................8.35
7) All-Star Family Fortunes (ITV1)............7.41
8) Murderland (ITV1)..........................7.32
9) Harry Hill's TV Burp (Sat. ITV1)...........7.05
10) Emmerdale (ITV1)...........................6.98 *
11) Benidorm (ITV1)............................6.68
12) Countryfile (BBC1).........................5.90
13) Jimmy's Food Factory (BBC1)................5.70
14) New You've Been Framed (ITV1)..............5.57
15) Merlin (BBC1)..............................5.53
16) Holby City (BBC1)..........................5.48 *
17) Casualty (BBC1)............................5.45
18) Have I Got News For You (BBC1).............5.43
19) Harry Hill's TV Burp (Sun, ITV1)...........5.39 (rpt)
20) Antiques Roadshow (BBC1)...................5.06

BBC: 10 ITV: 10

Chart commentary: Another level-pegging week with BBC and ITV both managing ten entries in the 20...but most of the BBC's are in the lower half of the chart. Say what you like about ITV (and I frequently do) they do at least make an effort now in the Autumn and throw their 'big guns' at the screen to great effect. Their ratings and share performance is on the increase because they're carpet-bombing the schedule with the sorts of shows their audience likes to watch. The BBC schedule has been poor at best this autumn with barely any new dramas or comedies and just the tired old warhorses like Holby City and Casualty staggering across the week like wounded animals on their last legs and Merlin -a reliable Saturday night performer - shunted around the night at the whim of the horribly-overlong dancing extravanganza. Come on, BBC, where are the new dramas? The comedies? The only real new impact they've made this week is with a huge edition of 'Question Time' (which usually manages 2 - 3 million) ballooning to over 8 million thanks to the controversial appearance of BNP leader Nick Griffin - and some cheap daytime cooking filler promoted to the evening schedule. This isn't good enough. Still, the new series of 'Waterloo Road' and 'Spooks' have made strong starts in the last week or show and should boost BBC1's presence and of course the forthcoming new Dr Who special should make a strong top 5 showing in a few weeks.