The 2011 series of The X Factor may have failed to achieve the heady viewing figures of previous years, but the final has still managed to squirm its way to the top of the pile in the year’s most watched television broadcasts.
Though attracting the lowest level of interest in four years, the finale, which saw girl group Little Mix crowned as winners, attained an audience 13.7 million on December 11th, nudging April’s BBC1 transmission of the Royal Wedding into second spot by less than 100,000 television viewers.
Despite gleaning an audience of 13.5 million and a mammoth 63% share of television viewers nationwide, the union of Prince William and Kate Middleton had to settle for runner up spot, with hit ITV1 drama Downton Abbey securing third place. Other shows that found their way onto the list include popular stalwarts such as Strictly Come Dancing, Britain’s Got Talent and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, whilst Eastenders and Coronation Street also took their usual positions in the top ten.
BBC News, which props up the list with its Royal Wedding coverage, obtained its place with a television viewing audience of 10.7 million.
Emphasizing its sizeable audience pull, ITV was responsible for six of the broadcasts comprising the top ten, with nearest rival BBC1 taking up the remaining four slots.
Though The X Factor is currently basking in a second successive year as British television’s top dog, it remains to be said that, with a plethora of Christmas specials such as Doctor Who and Absolutely Fabulous yet to hit screens, a reshuffle may yet be in the pipeline.