Ratings Rise

TV More extraordinary figures, well up on this time last year. Most watched programme yesterday, even beating the football.

BBC One BBC Two ITV1 Four Five

19:15 ... 7.6 (39.5%) ... 2.6 (13.3%) ... 3.2 (16.4%) ... 1.4 ( 7.3%) ... 0.6 ( 3.2%)
19:30 ... 8.2 (40.7%) ... 2.6 (12.9%) ... 2.9 (14.4%) ... 1.6 ( 8.0%) ... 0.6 ( 3.1%)
19:45 ... 9.0 (43.4%) ... 2.1 ( 9.9%) ... 3.1 (15.2%) ... 1.7 ( 8.1%) ... 0.6 ( 2.9%)

I finally went to get my hair cut yesterday and after the inevitable chat about the football the barber went on to ask if I watched much television. As usual I was going to try and talk up The West Wing, but then he said 'Have you been watching that programme Doctor Who'.

He then sped off into a monologue which took in his love of the one about the Queen of Scotland, how much his wife liked last weeks episode about the French aristocrat, Doctor Who Confidential how much he liked that new young chap in comparison last years bloke, how clever the Americans are at special effects and the fact that they used to have conventions at the Adelphi Hotel.

I mumbled the odd thing about essential Britishness whilst grinning beside myself. Then one of the other barbers mentioned that he'd cut Sylvester McCoy's hair a few years ago and had a nice chat with Seventh about the series and the play he was in at the time.

Remember those old adverts for Eastenders which said that everyone was talking about it? I was never entirely convinced. It's a pity they wasted the slogan because everyone really is talking and it seems watching Doctor Who ...