Television Mail and Broadcast Magazine TV Ratings log 1960s-1970s
The UK television ratings as published at the time in Broadcast Magazine. These are now the most accurate source of ratings of the period ranging from 1964 to 1981.
The listings include programmes transmitted on ITV and the BBC apart from those of November 1981 which are IBA rankings only. Broadcast Magazine began in 1973, the 1964 regional ratings are sourced from the Television Mail publication. Regional variations have been including showing the position in the local top ten where Crossroads appeared.
Television Mail Week Ending November 8th, 1964 – ATV Midlands Region Crossroads’ first week on air in the ATV area.
The series at this point was only screened on ATV, UTV and Border.
Homes in thousands:
1 – Coronation Street – 73,000
2 – Coronation Street – 70,000
3 – Crossroads – Episode One – 63,000
4 – All Our Yesterdays – 61,000
5 – Goldwyn’s Greats – 60,000
6 – Crane – 58,000
7 – Take Your Pick – 58,000
8 – Crossroads (Wed) – 57,000
9 – Cinema – 56,000
10 – Crossroads (Fri) – 55,000
Broadcast Magazine Week Ending April 6th, 1975 – IBA and BBC National Top 20:
Homes in millions for all the listings unless stated otherwise:
1 – This Is Your Life, 8.55
2 – Crossroads (Thurs), 8.15
2 – Man About the House, 8.15
4 – Coronation St (Wed), 7.90
5 – Crossroads (Wed), 7.75
6 – Crossroads (Fri), 7.55
6 – Within These Walls, 7.55
8 – Crossroads (Tue), 7.45
9 – My Old Man, 7.30
10 – Des O’Connor Entertains, 7.20
11 – Edward The Seventh, 7.10
11 – News At Ten (Fri), 7.10
13 – Sale Of The Century, 7.05
14 – Are You Being Served?, 6.80
15 – The Wackers, 6.70
16 – News At Ten – Mon, 6.55
17 – Coronation St (Mon), 6.10
17 – Battle of the Bulge, 6.10
19 – Wheeltappers and Shunters, 6.05
20 – New Faces, 5.95
Regional Variations: Thames; Crossroads at number 4 and 7 with Thur and Wed episodes, ATV Midlands; Crossroads is at number 1, 5 and 9, Granada; Crossroads does not feature, Yorkshire; Crossroads is at 4, 7 and 8 with Wed, Thur and Fri episodes, STV; Crossroads is at number 1, 3 and 8 with Thur, Fri and Tue episodes, HTV; Crossroads does not feature, Southern; Crossroads is at number 2, 5 and 8 with Thur, Fri and Wed, Tyne Tees; Crossroads is at numbers 6 and 8 with two episodes at number 6 these are Tues and Wed, with Thurs at 8. Anglia; Crossroads is at 1, 2 and 6 with two episodes at number 2, these are Wed and Fri, with Thurs at 1 and Tues at 6, WestWard; Crossroads is at number 1 and 4, with 2 episodes at 1. These are Wed and Thurs at 1, with Tues at 4. UTV; Crossroads is at number 1, 2 and 4, Thurs, Fri and Wed. Border; Crossroads is at 1, 2, 3 and 5 with Thurs, Wed, Fri and Tues. Grampian; Crossroads is at number 1 and 4. Two episodes on 4th place – these are Wed and Thurs with Tue at 1.
Broadcast Magazine Week Ending November 16th, 1975 – IBA and BBC National Top 20:
1 – Royal Variety Show presented by ATV – 10.30
2 – Bruce Forsyth Generation Game – 8.75
3 – This Is Your Life – 8.70
4 – Upstairs Downstairs – 8.30
5 – Crossroads (Thur) – 8.25
6 – Crossroads (Tue) – 8.15
7 – Crossroads (Wed) – 8.00
8 – The Sweeney – 7.85
9 – Opportunity Knocks – 7.80
10- Coronation St – 7.70
10- Crossroads (Fri) – 7.70
12- Ken Dodd Show – 7.60
13- Coronation St (Mon) – 7.45
14- Cuckoo Waltz – 7.10
14- Celebrity Squares – 7.10
16- Get Some In! – 7.05
16- Porridge – 7.05
18- Beryl’s Lot – 6.90
18- Dr Who – 6.90
20- Invisible Man – 6.80
20- Dick Emery Show – 6.80
Regional Variations: Thames: Crossroads is at 3 (Tue), 8 (Thur), 10 (Wed). STV: Crossroads charts at 8 (Fri). Anglia: Crossroads is at 1 (Tue), 3 (Thur), 6 (Wed) 9 (Fri). UTV: Crossroads is at 2 (Thur), 3 (Fri), 4 (Wed), 5 (Tue). ATV Midlands: Crossroads charts at 4 (wed), 5 (Tue), 6 (Fri), 7 (Thur). Yorkshire: Crossroads rates at number 3 (Thur), 5 (Wed), 8 – (Tues) 9 (Fri). HTV: Crossroads features at 8 (Thur). WestWard: Crossroads is at 1 (Thurs), 2 (Tue), 3 (wed), 9 (Fri). Border: Crossroads charts at 1 (Fri), 2 (Wed), 6 (Tue), 9 (Thur).
Broadcast Magazine Week Ending June 6th, 1976 – IBA and BBC Top 20:
1 – Crossroads 6.55 – Wed June 2
2 – Crossroads 6.55 – Thurs June 3
3 – Crossroads 6.50 – Tue June 1
4 – Crossroads 6.45 – Fri June 4
5 – Man About The House 6.40
6 – Hunter’s Walk 6.35
6 – Husband Of The Year 1976 6.35
8 – Coronation Street 6.25 – Wed June 2
9 – Sale Of The Century 6.10
10 – General Hospital 5.85
11 – Whickers World 5.70
11 – New Faces 5.70
13 – Murphy’s War 5.65
14 – Don’t Ask Me 5.60
14 – Luke’s Kingdom 5.60
14 – Porridge 5.60 – First BBC programme in the top 20
17 – Des O’Connor Entertains 5.55
18 – Cannon 5.50
19 – Coronation Street 5.45
20 – The Picnic 5.40
20 – Dangerous Knowledge 5.40
20 – Starsky and Hutch
Regional Variations: Thames TV: Crossroads is at number 3 (thur), 5 (tues), 6 (Fri), 8 (wed). Granada TV: Crossroads does not appear in the regional top ten STV: Crossroads is at 4 (Wed), 8 (Fri), 10 (Tue). Anglia Television: Crossroads is 1(Fri), 3 (tue), 5 (wed), 6 (thru). Southern TV: Crossroads features with one edition at number 5 (Wed). UTV: Crossroads appears in the top ten at 1 (tue), 2 (thur), 4 (wed), 5 (Fri). Grampian TV: Crossroads is at 2 (thru) and 8 (Wed). ATV Midlands: Crossroads is at 2 (tue), 4 (wed), 5 (thur), 7 (Fri). YTV: Crossroads takes positions 1(thur), 2 (Fri), 3 (wed), 4 (tue). Tyne Tees: Crossroads doesn’t appear in the top 10. WestWard: Crossroads is at 1(tue), 3 (wed), 4 (thurs), 6 (Fri). HTV: Crossroads makes number 10 (Thur). Border TV: Crossroads charts at 1 (tue), 2 (wed), 4 (Fri), 8 (thur).
Broadcast Magazine Week ending 13th June 1976 – IBA and BBC National Top 20:
1 – Crossroads – Friday 11th June – 6.90
2 – Crossroads – Thurs 10th June – 6.80
3 – Crossroads – Wed 9th June – 6.70
3 – Coronation St – Wed 9th June – 6.70
5 – Luke’s Kingdom – 6.50
6 – Sale Of The Century – 6.30
7 – News AT Ten – 9th – 6.25
8 – Crossroads – Tues 8th June – 6.20
9 – My Brother’s Keeper – 6.10
9 – Football (BBC) – 6.10
11 – Winner Takes All – 6.05
12 – Don’t Ask Me – 5.95
12 – Whicker’s World – 5.95
14 – Coronation Street – Monday 7th June – 5.85
14 – Starsky and Hutch – 5.85
14 – New Faces – 5.85
14 – Morecambe and Wise Show – 5.85
18 – General Hospital – 5.80
19 – Porridge – 5.65
20 – Husband of the Year – 5.40
20 – Dangerous Knowledge – 5.40
Regional Variations: Granada TV – No Crossroads in the top 10, Thames TV– Crossroads is in at number 5 with two episodes Thur/Fri, STV – Crossroads is at number 6, Friday, 7, Thurs, 10 wed, Southern TV – Crossroads is at number 4 for the Fri episode, Anglia TV – Crossroads is in slot 1 for the Fri, number 2 with episodes from Tues/Thurs and number 5 with the Wed edition, UTV – number 1 spot for two episodes Wed/Fri, number 2 slot for Thurs episode and number 6 for Tues episode, Grampian TV Crossroads is in joint 1st place with Corrie (Thurs ep), then number 3 Tues showing, ATV – Crossroads is in numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 with episodes from Thurs, Wed, Fri and Tues respectively. Yorkshire YTV – Crossroads has 2 episodes in at number 1 Wed/Fri and Thurs ep is at number 3 and Tues ep is at number 4, HTV – Crossroads is at number 6 (Wed) and two episodes at number 8 (Thurs/Fri) Tyne Tees – Crossroads makes the top 10 with the show in at number 10 for the Wednesday episode, WestWard – Crossroads has 2 episodes in the number 1 slot (Wed/Thurs) number 3 is the Tues edition and number 10 is the Friday episode, Border TV – Crossroads’ Friday episode is at number 1, Wednesdays at number 4 and Thursdays at number 7.
Broadcast Magazine Week ending 20th June 1976 – IBA and BBC National Top 20:
1 – Coronation Street – 7.00 (Wed)
2 – Crossroads – 6.95 (Thur)
3 – Crossroads – 6.90 (Wed)
4 – Crossroads – 6.75 (Fri)
5- Crossroads – 6.65 (Tue)
5 – Sale Of The Century – 6.65
7 – Luke’s Kingdom – 6.50
7 – New Faces – 6.50
9 -Man About The House – 6.45
10 – Duel At Diablo – 6.30
11 – My Brother’s Keeper – 6.15
11 – Hunter’s Walk – 6.15
11 – Don’t Ask Me – 6.15
11 – Seaside Special – 6.15
15 – Husband of the Year – 6.05
16 – Winner Takes All – 5.95
17 – Porridge – 5.90
18 – Whickers World – 5.80
19 – Coronation Street – 5.75 (Mon)
20 – General Hospital – 5.65
Regional Variations: THAMES – Number 2 (Thurs), Number 6 (Tues/Wed), GRANADA – Crossroads does not appear in the top ten, STV – Number 6 (Wed/Thur), Number 10 (Fri), SOUTHERN – number 4 (Wed), ANGLIA – Number 1 (Thur), Number 2 (tue/Wed), Number 4 (Fri), UTV – Number 1 (Fri), Number 2 (Tue), Number 3 (Thur), Number 5 (Wed), GRAMPIAN – Number 2 (Wed/Thur/Fri), Number 6 (Tue), ATV – Number 1 (Thur) joint place with Duel at Diablo, Number 4 (tue/Wed), Number 10 (Fri), YORKSHIRE – Number 2 – (Wed/Thur/Fri), Number 5 (Tue), HTV – Number 4 (Fri), TYNE TEES – Number 3 Crossroads (Tue), Number 7 (Fri), Number 10 (Thur), BORDER – Number 1 (Wed), Number 2 (Tue), Number 3 (Fri) Joint place with Luke’s Kingdom, Number 5 (Thur). CHANNEL TELEVISION – 1 – Crossroads (Thurs) – 2 – Crossroads (Fri), 3 – Crossroads (Tue), 5 – Crossroads (wed)
Broadcast Magazine Week ending 27th June 1976 – IBA and BBC National Top 20:
1 – Crossroads – WED – 6.25
2 – Coronation St – MON – 6.20
3 – Crossroads – TUE – 6.05
4 – Crossroads – THUR – 5.90
5 – Crossroads – FRI – 5.85
5 – My Brother’s Keeper – 5.85
5 – Coronation St – WED – 5.85
8 – Man About The House – 5.75
9 – News At Ten- 5.60
10 – Billy Dainty Esq – 5.35
10 – The Good Life – 5.35
12 – Hunter’s Walk – 5.30
12 – Luke’s Kingdom – 5.30
12 – Sale Of The Century – 5.30
15 – Don’t Ask Me – 5.20
16 – Cannon – 5.10
17 – BBC Nine O’Clock News – 5.00
18 – General Hosptial – 4.95
19 – Seaside Special – 4.85
20 – Clayhanger – 4.80
Regional Variations: THAMES – Crossroads at 2, 3, 5 and 9. GRANADA – Crossroads is not in the top 10. STV – Crossroads at 8 (Thur), 9 (Fri). SOUTHERN – Crossroad charts at 4 (Wed), 5 (Thur). ANGLIA – Crossroads rates at 1(Fri), 3 Crossroads (wed), 5 Crossroads (Tue), 5 Crossroads (Thur). UTV – is at 1 (Wed), 2 (Tue), 3 (Thur), 4 (Fri). GRAMPIAN – Crossroads is at 2 (Wed), 4 Crossroads (Tue). ATV – Crossroads peaks at 2 (Tue), 3 (Wed), 4, 9 (Fri), 10 (Thur). YORKSHIRE Crossroads is at 1(Wed), 2, 4 (Tue), 4 (Thur) 5 (Fri). HTV – Crossroads peaks at 2 (Wed), 3 (Fri), 5 (Thur). TYNE TEES Crossroads is at 1, 6, 10. WESTWARD – Crossroads is charting at 1 (Wed), 2 (Thur), 3 (Fri). BORDER – Crossroads is at 1 (Wed), 2 (Fri) 3 (Tue), 8 (Thur).
Broadcast Magazine Week ending Feb 6th, 1977 – IBA and BBC National Top 20:
1 – This Is Your Life – 9.60
2 – Coronation St – 9.05
3 – Robin’s Nest – 9.00
4 – Coronation St – (wed) 8.80
5 – The Cuckoo Waltz – 8.75
6 – Starsky and Hutch – 8.70
7 – Dave Allen – 8.55
7 – Mike Yarwood – 8.55
9 – Get Some In – 8.50
10 – Crossroads – (wed) 8.30
10 – Opp Knocks – 8.30
12 – Sale Of The Century – 8.25
13 – Crossroads – (Tue) – 8.00
14 – Crossroads – (Thur) – 7.95
14 – Charlies Angels – 7.95
16 – The Good Old Days – 7.70
17 – Doctor On The Go – 7.65
18 – Crossroads – (Fri) 7.55
18 – This Year, Next Year – 7.55
20 – Moses – The Lawgiver – 7.50
Regional Variations: Crossroads charts across the local ITV stations: Anglia (4, 6, 8 ), UTV (1, 4, 6), Grampian (4, 10), ATV (4, 10), YTV (4, 8, 10, 10), WestWard (5, 7, 7) and Border (1, 8)
Broadcast Magazine Week ending 10th Aug 1980 – IBA and BBC National Top 20:
The listing is now ‘viewers in millions’ (Crossroads now only airs 3 episodes a week)
1 – Coronation St – Wed 6th, 12.85
2 – Hart To Hart – 12.30
3 – Coronation St – Mon 4th, 11.90
4 – Crossroads – 11.75
5 – Nine O’Clock News – 11.55
6 – Last Of The Summer Wine – 11.45
7 – Starsky & Hutch – 11.40
8 – Robin’s Nest – 11.15
9 – International Athletics – 11.00
10- ITV Playhouse – Kiss and Tell, 10.70
11- News at Ten – Mon 4th, 10.25
12- BBC News – Mon 4th, 10.05
12- Lady Killers – 10.05
14- Nine O’Clock News – Wed 6th, 9.85
15- Crossroads – 9.80
15- Jeux Sans – 9.80
15- Martian Chronicles – 9.80
18- The Good Old Days – 9.70
19- Winner Takes All – 9.65
20- Grundy – 9.55
Regional Variations: Crossroads charts at, Granada: 10 (Wed). STV: 9 (Tue). Anglia: 1 (Wed), 2 (Tue) 6 (Thur). UTV: 2 (Thur), 4 (Wed), 10 (Tue). ATV Midlands: 1 (Tue), 4 (Thur), 8 (wed). Yorkshire Television: 3 (Wed), 4 (Tue), 5 (Thur). Tyne Tees: 5 (Wed). WestWard: 2 (Tue), 6 (Wed). Border: 1 (Thur), 3 (Tue), 4 (Wed).
Broadcast Magazine Week ending 8th November 1981 – The Crossroads Motel Fire week – IBA Top Ten
1 – Coronation Street – 16.5
2 – This Is Your Life – 15.6
3 – Crossroads – (Motel Fire) – 15.6
4 – Coronation Street – 15.5
5 – Crossroads (the episode before the fire) – 14
6 – Game for a Laugh – 13.7
6 – Give Us A Clue – 13.7
8 – That’s My Boy – 13
9 – Bullseye – 12.8
10 – Play Your Cards Right – 12.2
Regional Variations: The ‘regular edition’ noted is the Tuesday episode before the motel fire which aired on Wednesday, November 4th. Thames TV: Crossroads (fire) at 9, Granada: Crossroads (fire) at 6, a regular episode at 7, STV: Crossroads (fire) at 4, regular edition join place at 4 also, Southern: Crossroads does not feature in the top ten, Anglia TV: Crossroads (fire) at 3, regular episode at 10, UTV: Crossroads (fire) at 9, Grampian: Crossroads (fire) at 1, regular episode at 10, ATV: Crossroads (fire) at 2, regular episode also joint 2 and after fire edition at 7. Yorkshire TV: Crossroads (fire) at 1, after fire edition at 2 and regular edition at 6. HTV: Crossroads does not feature in the top ten. Tyne Tees: Crossroads (fire) at 10, WestWard: Crossroads (fire) at 4, regular episode is also at 4, follow up edition at 7. Border TV: Crossroads (fire) at 1, regular episode at 2 and after fire edition at 4.
Broadcast Magazine Week ending 15th November 1981 – The QE2 departure week for Meg Mortimer – IBA Top Ten
1 – Coronation Street – 16.4
2 – Coronation Street – 16.2
3 – Crossroads QE2 – 15.8
4 – This Is Your Life – 15.7
5 – Game For A Laugh – 15.2
6 – Miss World 1981 – 15
7 – Crossroads – 14.9
8 – Punchlines – 14.2
9 – Play Your Cards Right – 13.9
10 – Bullseye – 13.4
Regional Variations: Thames TV: Crossroads does not feature in the top ten, Granada: Crossroads QE2 is at number 6. STV: Crossroads QE2 is at 5, Southern: Crossroads does not feature in the top ten. Anglia TV: Crossroads QE2 is at 5, UTV: Crossroads does not feature in the top ten. Grampian: Crossroads QE2 is at number 1. ATV: Crossroads QE2 is at number 1, Yorkshire TV: Crossroads QE2 is at number 1, HTV: Crossroads does not feature in the top ten. Tyne Tees: Crossroads QE2 is at 8, WestWard: Crossroads QE2 is at 3, Border TV: Crossroads QE2 is at 1.
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| With thanks to Darren Gray and Ben Oakley for additional material. |