TV Viewing Round-Up: November 2012

The return of the reality show juggernaut I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! brought some much needed ratings cheer for ITV1 last month.

The three-week jungle antics featuring Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, actress Charlie Brooks and boxer David Haye, helped the commercial broadcaster secure 11.5 million viewers for the opening show of the 2012 series.

The annual charity-feast that is Children In Need still found a place in viewers’ hearts in November, with this year’s main 7.30pm to 10pm show, featuring a host of celebrities donating their precious time, attract a respectable 8.2 million viewers.

Geriatric romance drama Last Tango in Halifax proved that television executives don’t have to focus on vapid ‘yoof’ generation shows if they want to bring in the viewers.

Starring the acting giants Sir Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid (doomed Valerie Barlow in another life), the Yorkshire set drama attracted 7.3 million viewers for its premiere episode.

It was a bit of a mixed month for ITV1 in terms of its main ratings bankers, The X Factor and Downton Abbey.

The Julian Fellowes scripted class drama ran away with the highest rated show of the month, with 11.8 million for the episode broadcast on 4th November – whereas the previously all conquering Simon Cowell music contest could only pull in a top rating of 9.9 million viewers.

The show which saw the elimination of hot favourite Ella Henderson, was nearly 1.5 million down on last year’s equivalent show.

Elsewhere ghostly horror story The Secret of Crickley Hall, based on the novel from best selling author James Herbert, proved to be a Sunday night hit for BBC One.

The three-part drama saw Coronation Street refugee Suranne Jones play a mother of a missing son who moves into a spooky mansion (aren’t they always?) with the remaining members of her family.

Following in the well trodden path of The Weakest Link and Ready, Steady, Cook, quiz show Pointless had its celebrity version – cunningly titled Pointless Celebrities – broadcast on 24th November and grabbed 5.3 million viewers.

A semi-exciting climax to this season’s championship saw Formula One: Brazilian Grand Prix just creep its way into this month’s top programme list. The race saw championship leader Sebastian Vettel battle his way from the back of the grid to snatch third place he needed to clinch, watched by 5.3 million petrol-head viewers.

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