Britain’s Got Talent 2024 final drops to worst ratings ever – but ITV fires back-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Sydnie Christmas’ big moment on Britain’s Got Talent has caused a stir (Picture: Dymond/Thames/Shutterstock)

Britain’s Got Talent has finished for another year and ITV has pushed back over declining ratings.

The most recent series, the 17th in the show’s long history, culminated in a dramatic final on Sunday night with Sydnie Christmas being crowned the winner in emotional scenes.

Simon Cowell’s talent competition has been a fixture on ITV since 2017, but falling viewing figures over the years have prompted speculation about its future.

Viewership for Sunday’s finale was at an historic low with an average 5.2 million people tuning in, which is a slight drop from last year’s 5.3 million, and six million in 2022.

There has been a decline since 2009, when 16.3 million tuned in to see Diversity beat Susan Boyle to the crown.

In 2020, just 6.5 million people tuned in compared to the previous year’s 10.1 million, while in 2018 there was an audience of 10.6 million for Lost Voice Guy’s triumph in the grand final.

This year’s BGT final had the lowest ratings ever – but ITV has praised its viewership (Picture: Dymond/Thames/Shutterstock)

However, it isn’t all grim reading for ITV, who have praised the show’s performance, which pulled in the network’s ‘biggest overnight audience of the year so far’ besides the FA Cup.

The average audience of 5.2 million earned the show a 39% share, as well as a 55% share for 16-34s, with a peak of 6.5 million viewers overall watching Sydnie’s moment of glory.

In a press release, ITV added: ‘This meant the show was the highest rated across the weekend on any channel and ensured ITV was the most watched channel during primetime across the entire weekend.’

The broadcaster noted BGT as a whole is ‘the biggest entertainment series of the year across any channel’, with an average of 7.1m including repeats, while the launch episode is ‘consolidating up to 8m and still growing’.

A peak of over 6 million people tuned in to see Sydnie’s win (Picture: Dymond/Thames/Shutterstock)

Despite this, there is still some concern from fans as figures continue to drop to new lows, and the bookies certainly think something might change.

Ladbrokes is currently offering odds of 6/1 that BGT will be axed next year, suggesting there could be no new series in 2025.

A spokesperson for the bookmakers said: ‘Viewing figures only seem to be heading in one direction, and the odds suggest the most recent series could well have been the last.’

Saturday Night Takeaway being off air could open the door for more BGT (Picture: Kieron McCarron/ITV/Shutterstock)

However, it may not be all doom and gloom for the show, with recent reports before the grand final claiming BGT could actually land an extended three-month run to try and fill the gap left by Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

‘BGT has been on since 2007 and viewing numbers are higher than ever — it’s just fans are watching it differently,’ an insider recently told The Sun, with social numbers soaring.

‘Having over seven million viewers makes it the most watched entertainment show after I’m A Celebrity.’

Fans are waiting to find out what the future holds (Picture: Dymond/Thames/REX/Shutterstock)

The source added: ‘Stretching BGT over three months could make it even more of a presence.

‘Online is where advertisers are now pumping in their money, but to get the clips they need the show. So BGT’s creators have the upper hand as they strike a new deal.’

The publication notes that the first episode of this series was watched eight million times when it aired and on catch-up, while the ITV show is currently is the biggest entertainment series across any channel so far this year.

Catch up with Britain’s Got Talent on ITVX.

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