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2020 CHRISTMAS ADVENT BLOG Blog of the Day 

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN BLOG Friday 25th December 2020

Phil

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN ADVENT BLOG Friday 25th December 2020

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12 RAMBLINGS OF CHRISTMAS

 

NO SLEEPS TO CHRISTMAS DAY

Here it is Merry Christmas

Everybody have a ball!

 

  1. A CHRISTMAS QUOTE

”It’s always consoling to know that today’s Christmas gifts are tomorrow’s garage sales.”— Milton Berle

“‘White Christmas’ is the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ of Christmas songs.” ― Stewart Stafford

“There are a lot of things money can’t buy. Not one of them is on my son’s Christmas list.” — Milton Berle

“It’s that’s special time of year when your whole family gathers together in one place to look at their cellphones.” — Jimmy Kimmel

“Once you stop believing in Santa, you get underwear for Christmas.” — Unknown

“I just want to be rich enough to buy enough ornaments to cover more than one side of the tree.” — Charlotte Christmas

  1. CHRISTMAS FEATURE

As 2020 will go down in history as THE LOCKDOWN CHRISTMAS many people will be watching TV. So, I thought I’d take a look at Christmas TV.

 

Back in the 1960s and 1970s the top TV programmes used to attract Christmas Day audiences of in excess of 20 million. That is a lot of viewers.

 

Just take a look at this Tp[ 10 of Most watched Christmas TV of all time.

 

MOST WATCHED CHRISTMAS TV OF ALL TIME

  1. Only Fools and Horses ‘Time On Our Hands’ – December 29, 1996 (24.25 million)
  2. The Mike Yarwood Show ‘The Mike Yarwood Christmas Special’ – December 25, 1977 (21.4 million)
  3. Coronation Street ‘2581’ – December 25, 1985 (21.4 million)
  4. Only Fools and Horses ‘If They Could See Us Now’ – December 25, 2001 (21.35 million)
  5. Only Fools and Horses ‘Modern Men’ – December 27, 1996 (21.33 million)
  6. Only Fools and Horses ‘Heroes and Villains’ – December 25, 1996 (21.31 million)
  7. The Morecambe & Wise Show ‘The Morecambe and Wise Show’ – December 25, 1977 (21.3 million)
  8. Bread – December 25, 1988 (20.95 million)
  9. .Wallace and Gromit ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ – December 25, 2008 (14.4 million)
  10. EastEnders ‘Christmas Day Part 2’ – December 25, 2007 (13.9 million)

Yes, it’s a bit unfair to compare old with new, TV viewing figures are significantly lower in general these days – last year Gavin and Stacey (BBC1) came out on top with only 11.2 million.

We imagine a lot of this is down to the hundreds of channels, the variety of programmes and the emergence of streaming services in the past few years – after all, back in the day there only used to be three TV channels. Imagine!

Top 20 biggest Christmas Day TV audiences ever

Missing from the top 20 are Morecambe and Wise, whose star-studded Christmas specials date from before the modern system of compiling ratings began in 1981.

The episode of EastEnders from 1986 is when Den Watts famously surprised his wife Angie with divorce papers in a Christmas cracker, while Coronation Street’s entry from 1987 saw Hilda Ogden leave Weatherfield.

TOP 20 BIGGEST CHRISTMAS DAY TV AUDIENCES 1981 – 2019

  1. ‘Crocodile’ Dundee (BBC1, 1989): 21.77m
  2. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, 2001): 21.34m
  3. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, 1996): 21.31m
  4. Just Good Friends (BBC1, 1986): 20.76m
  5. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, 1992): 20.14m
  6. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, 1989): 20.10m
  7. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, 1993): 19.59m
  8. EastEnders (BBC1, 1986, early evening): 19.50m
  9. Birds Of A Feather (BBC1, 1993): 19.39m
  10. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (ITV, 1984): 19.33m
  11. Indiana Jones And The Temple of Doom (BBC1, 1987): 18.95m
  12. EastEnders (BBC1, 1986, late evening): 18.90m
  13. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, 1986): 18.76m
  14. Ghost (BBC1, 1993): 18.53m
  15. The Two Ronnies (BBC1, 1985): 18.48m
  16. Bread (BBC1, 1988): 18.00m
  17. It’ll Be Alright On Christmas Night (ITV, 1987): 18.00m
  18. Coronation Street (ITV, 1987): 17.97m
  19. Only Fools And Horses (BBC1, 1990): 17.97m
  20. One Foot In The Grave (BBC1, 1995): 17.77m

             

UK CHRISTMAS TV

CHRISTMAS DAY RATINGS 1998 – 2019

What did you watch? What memories come flooding back.

1998

  1) Men Behaving Badly (BBC1)……………………..         13.9m

  1) EastEnders (BBC1)…………………………………………  13.9m

  3) Coronation Street (ITV)…………………………………..  13.5m

  4) They Think It’s All Over (BBC1)……………………..   12.1m

  5) Before They Were Famous (BBC1)………………….   11.4m

  6) You’ve Been Framed (ITV)……………………………..   10.7m

  7) Emmerdale (ITV)……………………………………………10.1m

  8) EastEnders (BBC1)……………………………………………9.6m

  9) Aunty’s Spanking New Bloomers (BBC1)…………….9.1m

10) Film : Babe (BBC1)……………………………………………8.8m

 

1999

  1) Coronation Street (ITV)…………………………              ….14.7m

  2) Vicar of Dibley (BBC1)………………………………….   12.4m

  3) Who Wants to Be A Millionaire (8.30pm)(ITV)..  12.0m

  4) Before They Were Famous (BBC1)…………………….11.9m

  5) BBC News (BBC1)……………………………………………….11.7m

  6) EastEnders (8.30pm) (BBC1)……………………………..11.2m

  7) EastEnders (5.50pm) (BBC1)………………………………11.1m

  7) Emmerdale (ITV)………………………………………………..11.1m

  7) A Touch of Frost (ITV)……………………………………….11.1m

10) Who Wants to Be A Millionaire (10.30pm) (ITV)11.0m

 

2000

  1)  Coronation Street(ITV)……………………………………….13.7m

  2)  EastEnders (part two) (BBC1)……………………………..12.1m

  3)  Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? (part two)(ITV)11.1m

  4)  ITV Nightly News (ITV) …………………………………….10.8m

  5)  EastEnders (part one) (BBC1)…………………………….10.1m

  6)  Film : Titanic (BBC1)……………………………………………9.9m

  7)  Millionaire (part one) (ITV)…………………………………9.6m

  8)  Emmerdale (ITV)…………………………………………………9.3m

  9)  You’ve Been Framed (ITV)………………………………….9.3m

10)  The Royle Family (BBC1)……………………………………..8.3m

 

2001

  1)  Only Fools and Horses (BBC1)………………………….20.3m

  2)  EastEnders (20:30) (BBC1)……………………………….14.5m

  3)  Coronation Street (ITV)…………………………………..12.0m

  4)  EastEnders (17:55) (BBC1)…………………………………10.5m

  5)  Who wants to be a Millionaire? (ITV)………………9.6m

  6)  Before They Were Famous (BBC1)……………………9.3m

  7)  Emmerdale (ITV)……………………………………………….8.6m

  8)  The Lost World (BBC1)………………………………………8.3m

  9)  News (20:20) (BBC1)………………………………………….8.0m

10)  Toy Story (BBC1)………………………………………………..7.4m

11)  Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression (BBC1)……….7.1m

 

2002

  1) Only Fools And Horses (BBC1)………………………….16.3m

  2) EastEnders (21:05 ) (BBC1)……………………………….16.0m

  3) Coronation Street (ITV1)………………………………….13.3m

  4) EastEnders (18:15) (BBC1)…………………………………12.4m

  5) News (18:00) (BBC1)………………………………………….10.8m

  6) Emmerdale (ITV1)…………………………………………….10.3m

  7) Queen’s Speech (BBC1 6.5m & ITV1  2.8m)……….9.3m

  8) Chicken Run (BBC1)……………………………………………9.1m

  9) French And Saunders (BBC1)…………………………….8.7m

10) My Family (BBC1)……………………………………………….8.0m

 

2003

  1)   Only Fools and Horses (BBC1)…………………………15.5m

  2)   EastEnders (20:30) (BBC1)………………………………14.0m

  3)   Coronation Street (ITV1)…………………………………11.8m

  4)   EastEnders (18:00) (BBC1)……………………………….11.4m

  5)= My Family (BBC1)……………………………………………..8.3m

  5)= Emmerdale (ITV1)…………………………………………….8.3m

  7)   BBC News (17:45) (BBC1)……………………………………7.8m

  8)= Queen’s Speech (BBC1)…………………………………….6.5m

  8)= Posh and Becks’ Big Impression (BBC1)…………  6.5m

10) Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Celebrity (ITV1)6.3m

 

2004

  1)  EastEnders  (BBC1)…………………………………………………….12.3m

  2)  The Vicar of Dibley (BBC1)………………………………………. 11.8m

  3)  Coronation Street (ITV1)…………………………………………..11.3m

  4)  Film:Harry Potter & the Philpsopher’s Stone (BBC1)..7.9m

  5)  Emmerdale (ITV1)……………………………………………………….7.5m​ 

  6)  The Queen’s Speech (BBC1 5.5m, ITV1 1.5m) ……………7.0m

  7)  Absolutely Fabulous (BBC1)……………………………………….6.6m

  7)  Midsomer Murders (ITV1)………………………………………….6.6m

  9)  Parkinson (ITV1)………………………………………………………….5.1m

 

2005

  1)  EastEnders (BBC1)……………………………………..​11.0m

  2)  Doctor Who (BBC1)……………………………………9.8m

  2)  Coronation Street (ITV1)…………………………..9.8m

  4)  The Two Ronnies (BBC1)…………………………..9.4m

  5)  Film: Shrek (BBC1) …………………………………….7.6m

  6)  Emmerdale (ITV1) ……………………………………..6.9m

  7)  Film : Toy Story 2 (BBC1)……………………………6.9m

  8)  Who Wants to be a Millionaire (ITV1)……….6.6m

  9)  BBC News 18:45 bulletin (BBC1)…………………6.2m

  9)  The Queen’s Christmas Message (BBC1)…..6.2m

 

2006

  1)  The Vicar of Dibley (BBC1)…………………………………11.4m

  2)  EastEnders part two (BBC1)……………………………..10.7m

  3)  Coronation Street (ITV1)……………………………………9.6m ​

  4)  EastEnders part one (BBC1)………………………………9.2m

  5)  Doctor Who (BBC1)……………………………………………8.7m

  6)  Little Britain Abroad (BBC1)………………………………8.4m

  7)  The Queen’s Christmas Message(BBC1 & ITV1)..7.6m

  8)  Strictly Come Dancing Special (BBC1)………………7.3m

  9)  Emmerdale (7.2m) (BBC1)……………………………………7.2m

 10) Strictly Come Dancing Preview (BBC1)……………..6.8m

 

2007

  1)  EastEnders part two (BBC1)……………………………..13.9m

  2)  Doctor Who (BBC1)…………………………………………..13.8m

  3)  EastEnders part one (BBC1)………………………………11.8m

  4)  To The Manor Born (BBC1)……………………………….10.1m

  4)  Film : Shrek 2 (BBC1)…………………………………………10.1m

  4)  BBC News at Six (BBC1)…………………………………….10.1m

  7)  Strictly Come Dancing Special (BBC1)………………9.9m

  8)  Coronation Street (ITV1)……………………………………9.6m

  9)  Film : Finding Nemo  (BBC1)………………………………8.3m

 10) The Queen’s Christmas Message (BBC1 & ITV1).7.5m

 

2008

  1)  Wallace & Gromit:

       A Matter of Loaf and Death (BBC1)……….14.4m (Average: 14.3m)

  2)  EastEnders part two  (BBC1)………………….12.6m (11.5m)

  3)  Doctor Who (BBC1)…………………………………12.0m (11.7m)

  4)  The Royle Family (BBC1)………………………..11.0m (10.0m)

  5)  EastEnders part one (BBC1)………………….10.2m ( 9.9m)

  6)  BBC News (BBC1)…………………………………..,.9.5m ( 9.5m)

  7)  Strictly Come Dancing Special (BBC1)……9.3m ( 8.6m)

  8)  Film : Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit

       (BBC1)……………………………………………………….8.6m ( 7.2m)

  9)  Blackadder Rides Again (BBC1)……………….7.9m ( 5.6m)

 10) The Queen  (BBC1 & ITV1)……………………….7.8m ( 8.2m)

 11) Coronation Street (ITV1)………………………….7.6m ( 7.4m)

 

2009

  1)  EastEnders (BBC1)…………………………………………….​10.9m

  2)  The Royle Family (BBC1)…………………………………..10.2m

  3)  Doctor Who (BBC1)………………………………………….10.0m

  4)  Gavin and Stacey (BBC1)…………………………………..9.2m

  5)  The Gruffalo (BBC1)………………………………………….8.8m

  6)  The Queen  (BBC1 5.7m, ITV1 2.4m)………………….8.1m

  7)  Coronation Street (ITV1)…………………………………..7.9m

  8)  Catherine Tate : Nan’s Xmas Carol (BBC1)……….7.1m

  9)  BBC News (17:15)  (BBC1)…………………………………..6.8m

  9)  Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1)…………………………6.8m

 

2010

  1)  EastEnders (BBC1)…………………………….11.7m (11.4m)

  2)  Doctor Who (BBC1)……………………….. 10.7m (10.3m)

  3)  Come Fly With Me (BBC1)………………10.3m (10.3m)

  4)  The Royle Family (BBC1)…………………10.2m ( 9.9m)

  5)  Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1)…………9.6m ( 9.4m)

  6)  Coronation Street (ITV1)………………….9.1m ( 9.0m)

  7)  The One Ronnie (BBC1)…………………….8.5m ( 7.9m)

  8)  Emmerdale (ITV1)……………………………..7.8m ( 7.2m)

  9)  Shrek The Third (BBC1)…………………… 7.5m ( 7.2m)

 10)  BBC News (BBC1)………………………………7.2m ( 7.2m)

  Source: BARB overnight figures

​

2011

  1)  Eastenders (BBC1)……………………………………9.9m

  2)  Coronation Street (ITV1)………………………..9.0m

  3)  Doctor Who (BBC1)…………………………………8.9m

  4)  Downton Abbey (ITV1)…………………………….8.1m

  5)  Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1)………………..7.5m

  6)  Absolutely Fabulous (BBC1)…………………….7.4m

  7)  The Gruffalo’s Child (BBC1)…………………….6.5m

  8)  Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Comedy                              

       Roadshow (BBC1)…………………………………….6.4m

  9)  The Queen’s Speech (BBC1)……………………6.3m

 10)  Emmerdale (ITV1)…………………………………..6.2m

 

2012

  1)  EastEnders (BBC1) ………………………………..​9.4m

  2)  Coronation Street (ITV1) ……………………..8.8m

  3)  Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1) ……………..7.8m

  4)  The Royle Family (BBC1) ……………………….7.7m

  5)  Dr Who (BBC1) ………………………………………7.6m

  6)  Downton Abbey (ITV1) ………………………….7.3m

  6)  Call The Midwife (BBC1) ……………………….​7.3m

  8)  The Queen (BBC1) …………………………………6.3m

  9)  Emmerdale (ITV1) …………………………………6.2m

 10) BBC News (BBC1) ………………………………….6.1m

 

2013

1) Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special BBC1 …….9.4m

 2) Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor BBC1 …..8.3m

 3) Coronation Street ITV …………………………………….7.9m

 4) EastEnders BBC1 ……………………………………………..7.8m

 5) The Queen BBC1/ITV………………………………………7.5m

 6) Strictly Come Dancing Xmas Special BBC1…….7.3m

 7) Call The Midwife BBC1 …………………………………….7.1m

 8) Downton Abbey ITV ……………………………………….6.6m

 9) Toy Story 3 BBC1 …………………………………………….6.3m

​10) BBC1 News (3.15pm) & ITV News (7.15pm) …….5.6m

 

2014

1) The Queen (BBC One and ITV)…………………………….7.82m

2) Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special (BBC One) .7.61m

3) EastEnders (BBC One) …………………………………………7.55m

4) Strictly Come Dancing Xmas Special (BBC One).6.98m

5) Call The Midwife (BBC One)………………………………..6.83m

6) Miranda (BBC One)………………………………………………6.67m

7) Coronation Street (ITV)………………………………………..6.41m

8) Doctor Who (BBC One)………………………………………..6.34m

9) Emmerdale (ITV)………………………………………………….5.53m

10) Downton Abbey (ITV)…………………………………………5.52m

 

2015

  1) Downton Abbey (ITV)………………………………………………10.90m

  2) Mrs Brown’s Boys (BBC1)…………………………………………..9.49m

  3) Call the Midwife (BBC1)…………………………………………….9.30m

  4) Stick Man (BBC1)………………………………………………………..9.27m

  5) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1)…………………………………..8.54m

  6) The Queen’s Message (BBC1/ITV)…………………………….7.76m

  7) Doctor Who (BBC1)………………… …………………………………7.69m

  8) EastEnders (BBC1)………………………………………………………7.67m

  9) Coronation Street (ITV)……………………………………………. 7.27m

10) Film : Brave (BBC1)…………………………………………………….. 6.05m

 

​

2016

  • Call The Midwife, BBC1 …………………………………………………………….9.20m
  • Mrs Brown’s Boys, BBC1 ……………………………………………………………8.98m
  • Strictly Come Dancing, BBC1 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,8.94m
  • The Great Christmas Bake Off, BBC1………………………………………..8.21m
  • Coronation Street, ITV ……………………………………………………………..8.12m
  • Doctor Who, BBC1……………………………………………………………………..7.83m
  • EastEnders, BBC1……………………………………………………………………….7.82m
  • Queen’s Speech, BBC1/ITV……………………………………………………….7.70m
  • Emmerdale, ITV…………………………………………………………………………,6.21m
  • Frozen, BBC1……………………………………………………………………………….5.25m

​

2017

   1) Call the Midwife (BBC One) ……………………………………………………..9.6m

  2) Mrs Brown’s Boys (BBC One) ………………………………………………….. 9.0m

  3) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One) …………………………………………..8.3m

  4) EastEnders (BBC One) ………………………………………………………………..8.1m

  5) Doctor Who (BBC One) ………………………………………………………………7.9m

  6) Coronation Street (ITV) …………………………………………………………….7.0m

  7) The Queen (BBC One) …………………………………………………………………6.2m

  8) The Highway Rat (BBC One) ……………………………………………………..6.0m

  9) Victoria (ITV) ……………………………………………………………………………….5.4m

10) Emmerdale (ITV) ………………………………………………………………………….5.1m

 

2018

   1) Call The Midwife (BBC1) ………………………………………. 8.7m

  2) Michael McIntyre (BBC1) ……………………………………….7.6m

  3) Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1) ……………………………….7.5m

  4) The Queen (BBC, ITV, Sky)………………………………………7.1m

  5) Zog (BBC1) …………………………………………………………………6.9m

  6) Mrs Brown’s Boys (BBC1) ……………………………………..  6.7m

  7) Coronation Street (ITV) ……………………………………….. 6.7m

  8) EastEnders (BBC1) …………………………………………………  6.5m

  9) Jungle Book (BBC1) ………………………………………………..  5.5m

10) Emmerdale (ITV) ……………………………………………………. 5.4m

 

 

2019

   1)  Gavin and Stacey (BBC1) ……………………………………………..11.6m

  2)  The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast (BBC1, ITV, Sky) …        7.85m

  3)  Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1) …………………………………….. 5.49m

  4)  EastEnders (BBC1) …………………………………………………………. 5.47m

  5)  Michael McIntyre (BBC1)………………………………………………..5.25m

  6)  Call The Midwife (BBC1)………………………………………………….5.23m

  7)  Mrs Brown’s Boys (BBC1)………………………………………………..4.63m

  8)  Coronation Street (ITV) ………………………………………………4.48m

  9)  Emmerdale (ITV) …………………………………………………………….. 4.11m

 10) Finding Dory (BBC1) …………………………………………………….3.99m

 

 

  1. CHRISTMAS MOVIE
A Christmas Carol (2009) Budget $200m Box Office $325m
  1. CHRISTMAS SONG
  1. Fairytale of New York Pogues & Kirsty MacColl 4:33
  1. CHRISTMAS CHILDREN’S BOOK
  2. CHRISTMAS CAROL

It Came Upon The Midnight Clear

  1. IT’S A CRACKER (CHRISTMAS CRACKER JOKE)

              How does Christmas Day end? With the letter Y!

 

 

  1. A FAMOUS SCROOGE
  1. SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT – A TOP TV CHRISTMAS SPECIAL FROM THE PAST

Father Ted – A Christmassy Ted

UK/Special/1996Aired on Channel 4

“A Christmassy Ted” is an episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. It is the 17th episode overall and was broadcast between the second and third series. This episode is 55 minutes long, as opposed to the usual 21–22 mins of all other Father Ted episodes. It was aired on Christmas Eve, 1996, seven months after the second series had ended. Due to the popularity of this episode, it still gets repeated on Channel 4, RTÉ Two and More4 around Christmas every year. No. of series   3  No. of episodes 25

Read about Father Ted – A Christmassy Ted

  1. NICE LITTLE CHRISTMAS NUMBER

241         2,340,000 mph – The speed at which Santa’s sleigh would need to travel if he were to reach every home in the world on Christmas Eve               

242         650 miles a second is Santa’s speed put another way               

243         822 homes a second Santa visits to deliver all the world’s presents Christmas Eve               

244         £51,000,000 – The amount saved each year through the use of discount voucher codes               

245         8 – The number of Santa’s reindeer who’s names are taken from Clement C. Moore’s “A Visit From St. Nicholas”               

246         £700 Million – The amount of money spent on unwanted Christmas gifts               

247         6.8 Million – The number of iOS and Android devices that will be activated on Christmas day               

248         1957 – The year of the first ever televised Queen’s Christmas speech               

249         45% – The percentage of all greetings card sent every year that are Christmas related               

250         4.25 Million – The number of British people who normally travel abroad for Christmas

AND BECAUSE IT IS CHRISTMAS DAY 3 BONUS NUMBERS

251         1 – The number of mince pies you should eat on each of the 12 days of Christmas to bring good luck               

252         8 Million – The number of natural Christmas trees consumed by the UK each year

253       500,000 – “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” is a Christmas song, written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. The earliest known recorded version of the song was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934. It was then sung on Eddie Cantor’s radio show in November 1934. This version became an instant hit with orders for 500,000 copies of sheet music and more than 30,000 records sold within 24 hours.

  1. CHRISTMAS TV ADVERT

DFS 2020 Christmas TV Adverts