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EastEnders tops UK Xmas ratings
British viewers give EastEnders the nod over Doctor Who, Downton Abbey and the return of Absolutely Fabulous.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Favourite UK soaps have topped the Christmas ratings in Britain, with EastEnders pulling 9.9 million viewers.
Coronation Street followed with 9.0m viewers.
The Christmas TV tradition saw the soaps eclipse the high-profile editions of Doctor Who , Downton Abbey and Absolutely Fabulous.
The Queen’s Christmas Message, broadcast on both BBC and ITV, was viewed by 8.2 million.
Viewing figures were down across-the-board this year.
EastEnders – 9.9 million
Coronation Street – 9.0 million
Doctor Who – 8.9 million
Downton Abbey – 8.1 million
Strictly Come Dancing – 7.5 million
Absolutely Fabulous – 7.4 million
Emmerdale – 6.7 million
Source: doctorwho.co.uk
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15 Responses
Doctor Who was really quite magical to watch on a cold Christmas night. I thought it was rather cute and whimsical. Ab fab was a welcome return if a little less than what was expected and under par. i.e there could have been so much more material sourced from the last many years of it’s absence that Ms Saunders seems to have missed but we still have the NYD ep to go. Still good to see them back albeit for a very brief return. EE – dire and depressing, the Dale – same old same old.
Doctor Who was a little dissappointing this year. I miss Russel T Davis 🙁
@Jengo Re – Doctor Who it’s only 1.1M difference nothing basically. And this special wasn’t woeful it was great.
Ab Fab averaged 6 million viewers in it’s last series – so those figures are quite good. Eastenders is always the highest rated show on Chritsmas Day as it is generally the climax of a very slow building plotline. ITV were mad to think it could take out Eastenders with Downton. Ratings overall seem down on last year, from memory the David Tennant Dr Who xmas specials pulled in over 10 mil. This years xmas special was just as woeful as last years
@ElizaJo They are made up at a top secret meeting between BBC & ITV representatives, they meet every Thursday in a random cafe in London, to decide the ratings for the week ahead.
@David Knox Would I be right to assume that, it works the same way for 7, 9 & TEN?
Who makes these figures up???? I’m from the uk and didn’t watch any of these depressing programmes over Christmas!! Thank god for sky!!!
@deedeedragons, there has been a good balance of humour and drama of late. I laughed quite a bit at last weeks eps set in Southend, and introducing Dot’s sister and Heather & Shirley at an 80’s revival fare.
The picture in the article is from the Boxing Day episode.
@steve sydney unfortunately ab fab was a little under par and the ratings showed that.
EE is just dark & depressing as always.
With all the hype of Ab Fab.. would those numbers be considered low?
For the unititiated, Eastenders always has major storline events happen on their Christmas day episodes. Always a good watch, a bit heavy for Christmas day at times, so just as well here we don’t see it ’till four months later.
Top Gear is on the 28th in the UK, will this be considered as a Christmas special?
Proof that soap operas aren’t a dead genre after all – despite the upheaval with the American Daytime Soap industry.
Good to see Dr. Who come third though, quite enjoyed that special.
i watch EastEnders at “British pace” and knowing the storylines that have been set in motion and were set finish on christmas day for ITV to schedulde Downton directly against EE was simply ludicrous. EE will always reign supreme on christmas day and it was silly of ITV programmers to think otherwise.