Digital TV News

Little Mix beat William and Kate in 2011 TV ratings

Wednesday 21 December, 2011

By Duncan Heaney

Audience figures prove reality shows still have the X Factor

Sometimes things turn out just as you expect. Day follows night, the tide goes in and out and a reality show emerges as the most-watched TV programme of the last 12 months.

In a year of royal weddings, rugby tournaments and more, the most-watched programme across the BBC, ITV and Sky channels was the final of talent competition X Factor. On Sunday 11 December, almost 14 million viewers tuned in to witness girl band Little Mix shriek their way to pop stardom, however temporary it turns out to be.

Reality shows dominated this year, with the finals of BBC ballroom contest Strictly Come Dancing, ITV’s misleadingly named I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here and “job interview from hell” The Apprentice pulling in the viewers.

The nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton also proved a ratings smash. The BBC One coverage of the royal wedding attracted 13.5 million - a staggering 64% share of the total TV audience for that time slot.

The highest-rated drama of the year was ITV’s period piece Downton Abbey. The show was the seventh most-watched show of the year - a big improvement on last year’s tenth position. The only other drama to make the top ten was Doc Martin with 10.9 million viewers.

Naturally, the soap operas proved as popular as ever this year, and Coronation Street emerged as the highest rated. Its Valentine’s Day episode took sixth place in the overall top ten.

It does seem that TV ratings are down this year. In the past, a mere 13 million viewers wouldn’t have been enough to nab the top spot. The expanding number of channels on satellite and cable TV, as well as increasing use of online catch-up services like BBC iPlayer, have scattered the audience to a degree.

And of course, the list doesn’t include any of the Christmas specials yet to come. Festive editions of Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and Strictly Come Dancing are all likely to be massive ratings hits.

Photo by Frank Steiner