BBC suffers worst ever Christmas as ratings slump

[Crimson Dynamo]

Broadcaster’s most-watched programme pulls in two thirds fewer than last year

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/briefs/2025/12/26/TELEMMGLPICT000454453546_17667690860000_trans_NvBQ zQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPx c.jpeg?imwidth=620
Insincere, vile people like this lot

The BBC has suffered what is thought to be its worst ever Christmas TV ratings
after a huge slump in viewer numbers.

The public service broadcaster’s most watched programme pulled in almost two
thirds fewer viewers than its top show on Christmas Day 2024.

Audiences for long-running duds such as EastEnders and Call The Midwife also
dropped substantially compared with last year.

The King’s awful misguided Speech
4.6m
The Scarecrows’ Wedding
4.3m
Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
4.2m
Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel
3.7m
Call the Midwife
3.4m
Gladiators Christmas Special
3.2m
Amandaland Christmas Special
3.1m

That marked a huge decrease from last year, when the final episode of Gavin
and Stacey became the biggest Christmas Day hit since 2008 after attracting
12.3 million viewers. The finale of the much-loved sitcom subsequently
topped 20 million viewers in 28 days as audiences tuned in on iPlayer.

That marked a huge decrease from last year, when the final episode of Gavin
and Stacey became the biggest Christmas Day hit since 2008 after attracting
12.3 million viewers. The finale of the much-loved sitcom subsequently
topped 20 million viewers in 28 days as audiences tuned in on iPlayer.

Scott Bryan, the TV critic and broadcaster, described this year’s line-up as “underwhelming”.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/12/26/bbc-suffers-worst-ever-christmas-as-ratings-slump/

Top comments: They deserve it. It is now a hub for misinformation, ahistorical
tv series, woke indoctrination and biased reporting. A shadow of its former
self that should be allowed to be put out of its misery.

The only thing I watched on the BBC this Christmas was the King’s speech.
Considering the Woke, ‘diversity is our strength’, multiculturalism is wonderful
flatulence that poured forth from Charles, next year I will not even be
watching that.

The time of the license fee-funded BBC is over; its time is done! Cut it down
to the bone and move it to a subscription service. I have had enough!

Nobody wants to watch the BBC’s woke and politicised programmes.
Everything they make is orchestrated to portray the Culturally Enriched,
diverse and inclusive society the Government and its supporters pretends
exists! They can’t even be trusted with the news or a fair political debate.
They have let down the majority of everyone and their viewing numbers are
exactly what they deserve.

[Benjamin]

Good to see the 2016 teenage girl in you is still fixated on the word woke.

[Barry.]

Broadcaster’s most-watched programme pulls in two thirds fewer than last year

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/briefs/2025/12/26/TELEMMGLPICT000454453546_17667690860000_trans_NvBQ zQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPx c.jpeg?imwidth=620
Insincere, vile people like this lot

The BBC has suffered what is thought to be its worst ever Christmas TV ratings
after a huge slump in viewer numbers.

The public service broadcaster’s most watched programme pulled in almost two
thirds fewer viewers than its top show on Christmas Day 2024.

Audiences for long-running duds such as EastEnders and Call The Midwife also
dropped substantially compared with last year.

The King’s awful misguided Speech
4.6m
The Scarecrows’ Wedding
4.3m
Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
4.2m
Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel
3.7m
Call the Midwife
3.4m
Gladiators Christmas Special
3.2m
Amandaland Christmas Special
3.1m

That marked a huge decrease from last year, when the final episode of Gavin
and Stacey became the biggest Christmas Day hit since 2008 after attracting
12.3 million viewers. The finale of the much-loved sitcom subsequently
topped 20 million viewers in 28 days as audiences tuned in on iPlayer.

That marked a huge decrease from last year, when the final episode of Gavin
and Stacey became the biggest Christmas Day hit since 2008 after attracting
12.3 million viewers. The finale of the much-loved sitcom subsequently
topped 20 million viewers in 28 days as audiences tuned in on iPlayer.

Scott Bryan, the TV critic and broadcaster, described this year’s line-up as “underwhelming”.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/12/26/bbc-suffers-worst-ever-christmas-as-ratings-slump/

Top comments: They deserve it. It is now a hub for misinformation, ahistorical
tv series, woke indoctrination and biased reporting. A shadow of its former
self that should be allowed to be put out of its misery.

The only thing I watched on the BBC this Christmas was the King’s speech.
Considering the Woke, ‘diversity is our strength’, multiculturalism is wonderful
flatulence that poured forth from Charles, next year I will not even be
watching that.

The time of the license fee-funded BBC is over; its time is done! Cut it down
to the bone and move it to a subscription service. I have had enough!

Nobody wants to watch the BBC’s woke and politicised programmes.
Everything they make is orchestrated to portray the Culturally Enriched,
diverse and inclusive society the Government and its supporters pretends
exists! They can’t even be trusted with the news or a fair political debate.
They have let down the majority of everyone and their viewing numbers are
exactly what they deserve.


You missed a bit from the daily mail

The corporation did still occupy nine of the top ten spots for the most-watched festive television shows, with even its weather forecast trumping ITV's best-viewed programme, The 1% Club.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15415941/BBC-suffers-worst-Christmas-Day-TV-ratings.html

It was all around the tv, not just the BBC.

[Crimson Dynamo]

You missed a bit from the daily mail

The corporation did still occupy nine of the top ten spots for the most-watched festive television shows, with even its weather forecast trumping ITV's best-viewed programme, The 1% Club.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15415941/BBC-suffers-worst-Christmas-Day-TV-ratings.html

It was all around the tv, not just the BBC.

Indeed but as the paid for by the public advert-free broadcaster it gets the most attention as it has a MAJOR advantage in a very unfair playing field

No point comparing it to non-comparable channels as i am sure you are aware?

[Crimson Dynamo]

Good to see the 2016 teenage girl in you is still fixated on the word woke.

The comments are from the article's best comments and not by me

Would you prefer to read the least popular comments to make you somehow feel better?

:facepalm:

[Barry.]

Indeed but as the paid for by the public advert-free broadcaster it gets the most attention as it has a MAJOR advantage in a very unfair playing field

No point comparing it to non-comparable channels as i am sure you are aware?

There was nothing big online last year to bring in the ratings. It didn’t have to do with woke. I don’t even remember anything that was woke about the shows. The king is no Queen so I would of thought the speech didn’t do that well too, he’s not as popular and his last speech last year was not the best.

[Parmy]

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
4.2m


4m of those are the old grannies who would rather be at home, alone.

[Glenn.]

The comments are from the article's best comments and not by me

Would you prefer to read the least popular comments to make you somehow feel better?

:facepalm:

You literally said the same thing in the kings speech thread…

[Glenn.]

The comments are from the article's best comments and not by me

Would you prefer to read the least popular comments to make you somehow feel better?

:facepalm:



Unsurprising globalist woke pish

So disappointing


Roll on William



This you bruh?

[Crimson Dynamo]

This you bruh?

That is a different thread and not what the Santapede was referring to

Its basic reading comprehension bro

I mean put the Baileys down and get with the programme

The desperation for a cheap gotcha is worse than The Bylar stans

https://media.invisioncic.com/Mrangmedia/emoticons/giggidy.gif

[Glenn.]

That is a different thread and not what the Santapede was referring to

Its basic reading comprehension bro

I mean put the Baileys down and get with the programme

The desperation for a cheap gotcha is worse than The Bylar stans

https://media.invisioncic.com/Mrangmedia/emoticons/giggidy.gif

Different thread. Same topic though right? Woke BBC bla bla bla.

The far right mind virus you have, kinda prevents you from posting anything original or interesting.

[Crimson Dynamo]

from the far left Daily Socialist Mirror MSM outlet

BBC suffers major ratings blow as Christmas Day TV figures announced

BBC suffered a blow on Christmas Day 2025 as most shows saw viewing figures drop
compared to last year.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/bbc-suffers-major-ratings-blow-36459262

[Crimson Dynamo]

https://e3.365dm.com/24/09/768x432/skynews-huw-ewdards-arrest_6687273.jpg?20240916085848

The end of the BBC is nigh

The Corporation is becoming a national irrelevance

This year, however, the ratings have collapsed. It was the BBC’s worst festive
season on record. At least 4.6 million people watched the King’s Speech, but
the corporation can hardly claim credit for that. Otherwise, its most watched
programme was a cartoon, The Scarecrow’s Wedding, with an audience of 4.3
million, or a mere 6 per cent of the current population.

Last year’s figures were inflated by the finale of the much-loved Gavin and
Stacey, as well as a new Wallace & Gromit film, but it is hard to see how the
existence of the BBC is essential to the production of such work, pleasant
viewing as it is. Despite the fact that it has substantial resources, supplied by
viewers regardless of their consent, the national broadcaster nowadays
struggles to command an audience.

Broadcasting has changed out of all recognition since the 1970s peak. There
are not only competing broadcasters, there are also the big, global streaming
services such as Netflix. The BBC does achieve blockbuster hits, many of
which are enjoyed all around the world, but it does not produce so many of
them that it can still stand high in the British national consciousness on its
own merits. It would, in fact, be kinder to let those parts of the corporation
that the British public does not want to come to a natural end, rather than
keeping them artificially alive by virtue of a compulsory levy.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2025/12/27/bbc-ratings-collapse-end-of-licence-fee-is-nigh/

[Redway]

TV-ratings (except reality-TV spikes) have been in progressive decline as a whole for 21 years. Average … averages get lower and lower every year. That goes beyond the individual quality of these shows.

[Mystic Mock]

The only entertaining stuff on the BBC currently are The Traitors and Strictly imo.

The other stuff that I've seen is largely bland garbage, just like 90% of the stuff that I catch on Streaming platforms.

[GoldHeart]

TV-ratings (except reality-TV spikes) have been in progressive decline as a whole for 21 years. Average … averages get lower and lower every year. That goes beyond the individual quality of these shows.


I think people preferred last year's Christmas telly , only thing I heard get hyped about this year was that Amandaland comedy , as well as the usual Christmas specials of call the midwife & soaps etc .

[Parmy]

Right wing YouTube channels are the way forward.

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Now show us the ratings for he other channels

[Crimson Dynamo]

Now show us the ratings for he other channels

Which other forced, publicly funded channels did you have in mind?

[Cherie]

The only thing we watched on telly Christmas day was the 1% club

[bots]

tv isn't viewed the same way anymore. It's the same reason not to get fixated on BB ratings.

The BBC should be pruned down to a public service without all the costly extras like soaps and reality tv. Then pay for it via income tax

[Livia]

I really enjoyed the Ghost Story for Christmas on BBC2 on Christmas Eve. Mark Gatiss has done one for the last few Christmases. This years was The Room in the Tower by E F Benson.

[emseateng2014]

this is what happens when doctor who 2005 is not on the telly for christmas

[Mystic Mock]

Right wing YouTube channels are the way forward.

Politically extreme YouTube channels are entertaining tbf.

[joeysteele]

All channels have likely seen reduced viewing figures.
There was very little I wanted to watch on anywhere.

Television is really poor in my view now and has been heading there for at least the last decade.

No surprise that viewing is much lower.

[bots]

the other thing is that there is a huge selection of streaming options available, providing literally thousands of sources. Those sources are all heavily pirated, which means viewing figures now mean nothing at all :laugh:

[joeysteele]

the other thing is that there is a huge selection of streaming options available, providing literally thousands of sources. Those sources are all heavily pirated, which means viewing figures now mean nothing at all :laugh:

Very true.

[Crimson Dynamo]

the other thing is that there is a huge selection of streaming options available, providing literally thousands of sources. Those sources are all heavily pirated, which means viewing figures now mean nothing at all :laugh:

incorrect, yes they have been diluted by what you say but they are still crucial
for setting advertising rates and getting revenue. Also Networks and studios
still use detailed audience data to decide which shows to commission, renew, or
cancel.

The later gathered data across platforms etc is still valuable and used

[Livia]

I think a lot of people are disappointed with the recent batch of BBC programmes. I notice the Famous Five shown this morning, set during WW2 and included a middle class couple, the wife was black. I can suspend my disbelief, I can't suspend it that far. It diminishes the crap mixed race couples went through in the past to suggest it would have been accepted as "normal" in the 1940s. We have some great black actors, I have absolutely no problem watching them when it's plausible they would have been there. Similarly, I don't want to see white people play Othello but of course that would never be allowed because blind casting only works one way. The BBC is a champion of blind casting. It's just another thing contributing to their downfall.

[Crimson Dynamo]

I think a lot of people are disappointed with the recent batch of BBC programmes. I notice the Famous Five shown this morning, set during WW2 and included a middle class couple, the wife was black. I can suspend my disbelief, I can't suspend it that far. It diminishes the crap mixed race couples went through in the past to suggest it would have been accepted as "normal" in the 1940s. We have some great black actors, I have absolutely no problem watching them here it's plausible they would have been there. Similarly, I don't want to see white people play Othello but of course that would never be allowed because blind casting only works one way. The BBC is a champion of blind casting. It's just another thing contributing to their downfall.

Sky Atlantic’s “Amadeus”

Austrian society 1773

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G8uURKwW8AEZE6W?format=jpg&name=smallhttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/G8uURKwWUAAQgP1?format=jpg&name=small
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G8uURKxW0AAwIiw?format=jpg&name=small

:facepalm:

[Livia]

I know a lot of people who refuse to watch stuff that's blind casted. For some people, watching TV and film is the only history they'll ever get and to distort it in this was is so wrong. They say it's to give opportunities to black actors but they feel no need to make special provision for white working class actors. You never hear a working class accent in Bridgerton, do you.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Have you seen this interview clip?:

The BBC wanted to replace one of the hosts of Top Gear with a diversity hire.

This is of course referring to the most famous and popular trio of hosts,
Clarkson, Hammond, and May.

The man in the video is Andy Wilman, the producer of the show, who then went
on to be the producer of The Grand Tour.

He explains in detail how, just because Top Gear attracted a diverse audience,
the BBC thought it would be a great idea to fire one of the hosts and replace
them with a Black or Asian host. The logic behind it? None, of course, just like
99 percent of what the woke BBC does.


https://x.com/AndrewGold_ok/status/2005364991365693722?s=20

[bots]

it's not just the BBC that does it. The problem is that they are the only one that has a mandatory payment requirement. That has to be abolished. Then people could vote with their wallets

[Shaun]

Last year was a bit of a one-off really with figures we'll likely never see again... the Gavin and Stacey finale is probably the most anticipated show with universal appeal since the days of, like, The Vicar of Dibley or Only Fools and Horses.

Since about 2010 there's been a struggle for new shows to really become a cultural phenomenon, and most have been international big-budget things (Squid Game, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones)... UK sitcoms just don't really grab big audiences any more even when they're actually great (Derry Girls, Amandaland, Fleabag, This Country etc)

[Glenn.]

What really bores me is the far right take. Every dip in ratings gets blamed on diversity or woke. Same script every time. No thought. No curiosity. Just lazy culture war noise. It ignores how viewing habits changed, how platforms exploded, how choice killed the monoculture. Blaming diversity is easier than understanding reality. And frankly it is getting dull.

They really ignore the fact that the way we consume TV is very different.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Strange but true….biggest audience on BBC1 on Christmas Eve was for a 10
minute regional news bulletin which attracted a little under 2million viewers at
5.20pm, just pipping Eastenders, 1.9m, & Paddington, 1.8m for bragging rights
as the channels biggest audience of the day.


Stranger, but just as true…biggest audience on ITV1 on the Sunday between
Xmas and NY was also to a shortened regional news bulletin, 1.9m at 5.20pm.
(Biggest non-news audience on the channel, 1.7m for a repeat of a Xmas
edition of The Chase)

:pipe:

[GoldHeart]

What really bores me is the far right take. Every dip in ratings gets blamed on diversity or woke. Same script every time. No thought. No curiosity. Just lazy culture war noise. It ignores how viewing habits changed, how platforms exploded, how choice killed the monoculture. Blaming diversity is easier than understanding reality. And frankly it is getting dull.

They really ignore the fact that the way we consume TV is very different.

I think people were just underwhelmed with Christmas telly this year,but yeah the way we watch tv now has a lot to do with it, there's all the streaming services & the Internet . And I think most of us just mostly watch the classics on DVD or catch-up , I watch a bit of telly but mainly the Christmas movies I own at home.

Whether it's nostalgia or comfort, there's something magical about rewatching stuff I've grown up with.

[Mystic Mock]

the other thing is that there is a huge selection of streaming options available, providing literally thousands of sources. Those sources are all heavily pirated, which means viewing figures now mean nothing at all :laugh:

Tbf, Celebrity Traitors and Civilian Traitors can pull in more than 4 million viewers.

So the data that LT is talking about is showing that a lot of people that are interested in The Traitors brand, don't regularly watch the Channel, which BBC has to ask themselves why that is the case.

[Ammi]

Last year was a bit of a one-off really with figures we'll likely never see again... the Gavin and Stacey finale is probably the most anticipated show with universal appeal since the days of, like, The Vicar of Dibley or Only Fools and Horses.

Since about 2010 there's been a struggle for new shows to really become a cultural phenomenon, and most have been international big-budget things (Squid Game, Stranger Things, Game of Thrones)... UK sitcoms just don't really grab big audiences any more even when they're actually great (Derry Girls, Amandaland, Fleabag, This Country etc)

…I actually caught a few episodes of Amandaland yesterday as I’ve been unwell and having a few TV days…it’s the first time that I’ve seen it but isn’t she a character that’s evolved form another series, which I can’t recall the name of atm…?…anyway, it was very good and Joanna Lumley as always is just beyond fabulous as the mother…:love:…I’ll carry on watching it over the next few weeks, I think…