UK TV Chart - w/e 22nd November 2009

Here's the rundown of the Top 20 most popular UK TV programmes or series for the week ending Sunday 22nd November 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).....................14.27 *
2) Children In Need (BBC1).................10.18
3) Coronation Street (ITV1).................9.68 *
4) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1).............9.59
5) I'm A Celebrity...Get me Out Of Here!
(ITV1).................9.51 *
6) EastEnders (BBC1)........................9.18 *
7) Emmerdale (ITV1).........................7.30 *
8) Harry Hill's TV Burp (ITV1, Sat).........7.25
9) All-Star Family Fortunes (ITV1)..........6.65
10) Children in Need Rocks The Albert Hall
(BBC1)..........6.50
11) Merlin (BBC1)............................6.30
12) Top Gear (BBC2)..........................6.19
13) Countryfile (BBC1).......................6.15
14) Celebrating The Carpenters (ITV1)........6.04
15) Holby City (BBC1)........................5.78
16) Casualty (BBC1)..........................5.69
17) Antiques Roadshow (BBC1).................5.57
18) Spooks (BBC1)............................5.26
19) Waterloo Road (BBC1).....................5.10
20) Jimmy's Food Factory (BBC1)..............5.00

BBC: 13 ITV: 7

Chart chat: A convincing win for the BBC in this week's chart with the lion's share of entries and whilst ITV supporters (there are some) would point to the huge numbers posted by ITV's flagship talent/reality shows (and Coronation Street), the worry for ITV is that most of these shows will be over with by Christmas (and their winners forgotten by the New Year!) and there's not much left in ITV's cupboard to maintain their autumn momentum. Whilst I question the wisdom of BBC1 holding off some of their big guns for the New Year - the early part of 2010 will see the return of Hustle, Survivors, Outnumbered, Ashes To Ashes amongst others - ITV seem to throw all their 'big guns' across September to December leaving them looking bare throughout the rest of the year. ITV will fizzle out around mid-December (their Christmas schedule is atrocious, frankly - All Star Mr and Mrs on Christmas night???) giving BBC1 a clear run at mopping up the audience over the festive season and it seems likely the Corporation will carry that momentum into 2010.

Stuff coming soon: The return of 'Discovering Classic Movies' with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Paradox, Spooks, True Blood, Misfits and other current TV dramas, Dr Who; Dreamland animation reviewed, Paranormal Activity reviewed, Avatar reviewed and a look at some of the highlights (and lowlights) of Christmas telly.