{"id":395115,"date":"2011-04-24T21:10:56","date_gmt":"2011-04-24T21:10:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/24\/doctor-who-sees-ratings-fall-by-1-5m-and-britains-got-talent-is-also-on-the-slide\/"},"modified":"2011-04-24T21:10:56","modified_gmt":"2011-04-24T21:10:56","slug":"doctor-who-sees-ratings-fall-by-1-5m-and-britains-got-talent-is-also-on-the-slide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/24\/doctor-who-sees-ratings-fall-by-1-5m-and-britains-got-talent-is-also-on-the-slide\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctor Who sees ratings FALL by 1.5m and Britain’s Got Talent is also on the slide"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

By Simon Cable<\/a>
Last updated at 10:10 PM on 24th April 2011<\/p>\n

It was billed as the scariest Doctor Who episode yet and should have had viewers glued to their sets.<\/p>\n

Instead, fans deserted this weekend\u2019s opening installement of the new series, with ratings falling by almost 1.5million compared to last year.<\/p>\n

Saturday night\u2019s episode was the lowest-rating series opener of any of the six since the drama was revived on Easter weekend in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role.<\/p>\n

\"Losing<\/p>\n

Losing out to the weather? The latest episode of Dr Who starring Matt Smith (right), Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill, attracted a smaller audience than last year’s series opener<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The first episode in the new series of Doctor Who was watched by an average audience of 6.4 million viewers, according to overnight viewing figures.<\/p>\n

On a sunny day in parts of the UK, that was down from the eight million recorded by overnight figures on Matt Smith\u2019s show debut in April 2010.<\/p>\n

However, The Impossible Astronaut had an average audience share of 36.7 per cent, with figures peaking at seven million.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Doctor Who returned to television screens in 2005 after a sixteen year absence. The opening show of the series attracted a peak audience of 10.5million. The following year, 9.8million fans tuned in to see David Tennant\u2019s debut as The Timelord.<\/p>\n

In 2010, eight million watched Matt Smith\u2019s debut, while an almost identical audience was recorded for last year\u2019s Easter Saturday episode.<\/p>\n

\"Scariest<\/p>\n

Scariest yet: Saturday’s episode saw the doctor travel to Utah, where he witnessed a gruesome murder<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This weekend\u2019s episode was the first time in seven years that ratings had fallen below eight million.<\/p>\n

The low turnout was blamed on the fine weather over the bank holiday, with the BBC pointing out that low audience figures were recorded across all channels.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s episode began with a dedication to the memory of the late Doctor Who actress Elisabeth Sladen who died of cancer this week at the age of 63.<\/p>\n

\"Tribute:<\/p>\n

Tribute: Elisabeth Sladen, who died earlier this week, played the doctor’s companion in the 1970s<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Ahead of broadcast, the show\u2019s head writer and producer Steven Moffat said the first two episodes of the new series \u2013 which feature a mystery alien species known as the Silents \u2013 is the scariest opener to any Doctor Who series yet.<\/p>\n

He said: \u2018The Doctor\u2019s darkest hour is coming. Shows like Doctor Who should have big colourful, memorable moments that make you go, \u201cWhat the hell?\u201d Well, this is one of them.\u2019<\/p>\n

However, fans were not wholly impressed. Eunice Ann Green wrote on the BBC Points of View messageboard: \u2018Doctor Who was one of the best programmes and as a family never missed watching no matter where we are or what we are doing.<\/p>\n

\u2018But tonight we lost all interest and feel the cast and stories have had an injustice served upon them. Please bring it back to how and what it should be – that is a great British programme loved by all, not just sci-fi fans.\u2019<\/p>\n

Matt Smith replaced David Tennant last year and at 26, he became the youngest actor to be given the role since it began in 1963.<\/p>\n

There was a mixed reception for last year\u2019s series, the first overseen by Moffat, with ratings down year on year.<\/p>\n

The new series will feature guest appearances from Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, David Walliams, James Corden, Lily Cole and the voice of Michael Sheen.<\/p>\n

The series will be split into two, with seven episodes running until June before it returns with another six episodes in the autumn.<\/p>\n

At the end of Saturday night\u2019s programme, a tribute to Elisabeth Sladen – who starred opposite Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker as the Doctor\u2019s assistant between 1973 and 1976 – was screened on CBBC.<\/p>\n

Doctor Who was not the only show to suffer from the fine bank holiday weather this weekend.<\/p>\n

Britain\u2019s Got Talent recorded yet another drop in audience figures on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

ITV had hoped that this week\u2019s auditions show would see a ratings recovery after the series opener pulled in 10.9million \u2013 a drop of 1.3million from the first show of last year\u2019s series.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

New line-up: New judges Michael McIntyre (left) and David Hasselhoff (right) joined Amanda Holden for the latest series<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

However, it recorded a peak of 10.6million and an average audience of just nine million \u2013 900,000 less than last week\u2019s average audience.<\/p>\n

It is also the lowest viewing figures for the show since 2007.<\/p>\n

\n

Gone but not forgotten: Piers Morgan (left) and Simon Cowell both quit the show to pursue careers in the U.S.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It is a blow for ITV, with fans already claiming the long-running show has been weakened since Simon Cowell\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n

However, the broadcaster pointed out that television viewing figures were reduced across the board over the holiday period and said that the show still pulled in a 44 per cent share of the audience.<\/p>\n

The music mogul has pulled out as a judge during the audition rounds to focus on the launch of his U.S. X Factor series. He will return for next month\u2019s live shows.<\/p>\n

Former judge Piers Morgan has also quit. The pair have been replaced by comedian Michael McIntyre and actor David Hasselhoff, who sit alongside Amanda Holden.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s show featured 21-year-old former model Pippa Langhorne singing a version of Pie Jesu with her puppy Buddy.<\/p>\n

\"Big<\/p>\n

Big break: Singer Pippa Langhorne impressed the judges<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Impressionist Les Gibson also impressed the judges after mimicking hosts Ant and Dec, while 92-year-old Ted Hall performed a duet with his 21-year-old granddaughter Grace Bower.<\/p>\n

Fans took to social networking sites to complain about Cowell\u2019s absence. Axel Yachef wrote: \u2018I hate Simon Cowell but his presence is massively missing from the show.\u2019<\/p>\n

Another calling themselves Brooksyonair added: \u2018BGT really missing Simon Cowell! Like all 3 judges but they just don\u2019t work together.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Explore more:<\/h3>\n
\n
People:<\/dt>\n
David Walliams<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
James Corden<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
David Hasselhoff<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Hugh Bonneville<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Piers Morgan<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Michael Sheen<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Michael McIntyre<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Matt Smith<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Amanda Holden<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Christopher Eccleston<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Tom Baker<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
David Tennant<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Lily Cole<\/a>,<\/dd>\n
Simon Cowell<\/a><\/dd>\n
Places:<\/dt>\n
United Kingdom<\/a><\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Read more:
\nDoctor Who sees ratings FALL by 1.5m and Britain’s Got Talent is also on the slide<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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