BBC beat ITV in the Christmas day ratings battle

The BBC reigned supreme in the Christmas ratings battle as The Queen’s speech became the most watched show of the day while Death In Paradise topped the charts on Boxing Day. 

This year, The Queen’s Speech secured the top spot and was watched by an average of 7.4 million viewers on BBC One on Christmas Day, while 5.4 tuned in to watch the Death In Paradise Christmas special the following day.    

BBC had the most viewings for their shows on December 25, securing eight out of the top 10 programmes broadcast, with ITV limping in at positions eight and nine in the poll. The following day, the public service broadcaster managed to bag seven out of the 10 most watched shows. 

This year, ITV put its Christmas Day shows on its on-demand player in the morning, viewers for which will be included in the consolidated figures, which come out in just over a week’s time. 

Victorious: Death In Paradise (pictured: stars Joséphine Jobert and Ralf Little) topped the charts Boxing Day

Ratings winner: The BBC reigned supreme in the Christmas ratings battle as The Queen’s speech became the most watched show of the day while Death In Paradise (pictured right: stars Joséphine Jobert and Ralf Little) topped the charts Boxing Day

CHRISTMAS DAY RATINGS 

 1. The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast, BBC One, 7.4million

2. Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, BBC One, 5.8million

3. Call the Midwife, BBC One, 4.7million

4. Michael McIntyre’s Christmas Wheel, BBC One, 4.6million

5. Blankety Blank Christmas Special, BBC One, 4.2million

6. Mary Poppins Returns, BBC One, 3.7million

7. Superworm, BBC One, 3.34million

8. Coronation Street, ITV, 3.25million

9. Emmerdale, ITV, 3million

10. EastEnders, BBC One, 2.9million

7.4 million viewers tuned in to watch Her Majesty’s annual message on BBC One that saw her reflect on the passing of her husband, Prince Philip. 

She poignantly talked about her late husband and said ‘one familiar laugh’ was missing from her family gathering this year. 

The speech was also broadcast by ITV, with 1.7 million viewers tuning in.  

It was also revealed that more people tuned in to watch her royal highness’s deliver her speech this year. Over a million more people watching than the 6.3million people that watched in  2020.   

Big Hit: Singer Ann- Marie, 30, with dance partner Graziano Di Prima, was a ratings winner on the Christmas special of the BBC favourite Strictly Come Dancing

Big Hit: Singer Ann- Marie, 30, with dance partner Graziano Di Prima, was a ratings winner on the Christmas special of the BBC favourite Strictly Come Dancing 

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special proved to be popular with fans with a whopping 5.8 million viewers watching singer Ann-Marie, 30, win the famous trophy with dancer Graziano Di Prima, 27. 

EastEnders was also a hit this year as fans settled down to watch Mick Carter (played by Danny Dyer) cheat on his wife Linda (Kellie Bright) with daughter-in-law Whitney (Shona McGarty).  

BBC favourite Call The Midwife also made the top 10 with 4.7 million viewers as did a return of the popular 80’s game show Blankety Blank for a Christmas special which drew in  4.2 million viewers. 

One shock from the day saw BBC One sitcom Mrs Brown’s Boys, starring Brendan O’Carroll, which usually secures high audience numbers fail to make the top 10. 

Soap shock: EastEnders was also a hit this year as fans settled down to watch Mick Carter (played by Danny Dyer) cheat on his wife Linda (pictured: Kellie Bright) with daughter-in-law Whitney (Shona McGarty)

Soap shock: EastEnders was also a hit this year as fans settled down to watch Mick Carter (played by Danny Dyer) cheat on his wife Linda (pictured: Kellie Bright) with daughter-in-law Whitney (Shona McGarty)

The BBC’s chief content officer, Charlotte Moore, commented: ‘Viewers chose the BBC on Christmas Day and entertained them in their millions with Strictly taking the top spot.

She added ‘Nothing brings the country together at Christmas quite like the BBC, there was something for everyone with the seven most popular programmes across the day.

‘That caps off a brilliant year on the BBC celebrating British creativity where we have delivered hits and award-winning work and seen huge audiences come to our shows.’

Third place: BBC favourite Call The Midwife also made the top 10 with 4.7 million viewers (pictured: Leonie Elliott as Nurse Lucille Anderson)

Third place: BBC favourite Call The Midwife also made the top 10 with 4.7 million viewers (pictured: Leonie Elliott as Nurse Lucille Anderson) 

She continued: ‘It’s these moments, in a time of intense competition, that prove that after 99 years the BBC matters more than ever. 

‘We have an ambitious and exciting year ahead in 2022 to mark our centenary year.’ 

‘With an unmissable range of world-class content that will celebrate and reflect the unique role the BBC continues to play in the lives of audiences across the UK.’

Boxing Day bonanza: Around the World in 80 Days was the second most watched show on December 26, with 3.9 million watching the first part of the eight-episode series which is based on the 1873 Jules Verne novel of the same name

Boxing Day bonanza: Around the World in 80 Days was the second most watched show on December 26, with 3.9 million watching the first part of the eight-episode series which is based on the 1873 Jules Verne novel of the same name

BOXING DAY RATINGS 

 1. Death In Paradise Christmas special, BBC One, 5.4million

2. Around the World in 80 Days – episode one, BBC One, 3.9 million

3. Coronation Street, ITV, 3.7million 

4. Emmerdale, ITV, 3.6 million 

5. A Very British Scandal, BBC One, 3.6 million 

6.  Around the World in 80 Days – episode two, BBC One, 3.5million

7. Celebrity Catchphrase, ITV, 3.2million 

8. Paddington, BBC One, 2.4million

9. Match Of The Day, BBC One, 2.4million 

10. EastEnders, 2.3million  

The BBC also managed to win the ratings war on Boxing Day, with 5.4 million tuning in to watch the Death In Paradise Christmas special. 

The programme revisited Neville Parker and Florence Cassell’s possible romance following their series 10 cliffhanger but finished without concluding whether the pair would give the relationship another shot, leaving the door open for series 11. 

Following on in the ratings war was Around the World in 80 Days, with 3.9 million watching the first part of the eight-episode series which is based on the 1873 Jules Verne novel of the same name. 

While the numbers dipped for episode two, 3.5million still tuned in, ranking the second part the sixth most watched show of the day. 

Finishing in third was Coronation Street, with 3.7 million watching the aftermath of the Christmas special; which saw the return of Roy Cropper (played by David Neilson).

He's back! Finishing in third was Coronation Street, with 3.7 million watching the aftermath of the Christmas special; which saw the return of Roy Cropper (David Neilson)

He’s back! Finishing in third was Coronation Street, with 3.7 million watching the aftermath of the Christmas special; which saw the return of Roy Cropper (David Neilson)

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