Most Watched Programmes of the Decade
The top ten rated programmes of the past ten years have been released and EastEnders and Coronation Street are both in the top ten along with Only Fools and Horses and Wallace and Gromit.
The top ten rated programmes of the 2000’s have been revealed. The most 
watched programme of the decade was in 2001 with the Only Fools and Horses special in which Del Boy and Rodney went on a rip-off version of Who Wants to be A Millionaire. Not far behind in second place is EastEnders with just over 20 million viewers. Millions tuned into the soap in 2001 to see which Walford resident had shot the despised Phil Mitchell – the storyline was inspired by the famous Dallas storyline of the 1980s and seemed to have captured the audience imagination in the same way.
In the third spot is Coronation Street with just over 19 million viewers for the episode where panto-serial killer Richard Hillman revealed to Gail Platt he had been murdering his way through the residents of Weatherfield. It was the episode where Gail cried “You’re Norman Bates with a briefcase!”. The recent storyline involving Tony Gordon similarly murdering his way through the street was widely seen by many as the soaps attempt to re-create the success of the Hillman storyline.
With 18 million viewers was this year’s final of Britain’s Got Talent where Susan Boyle lost out to dance group Diversity. Perhaps the millions who tuned in who don’t usually were bemused by the presence of Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan on the judging panel – if you know what talent these two individuals have we’d be grateful if you could tell us! In fifth place is Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death – last year’s one-off special for BBC One during the festive period. The latest instalment featuring the popular duo was seen by 16 million viewers.
In 2003 a special edition of Tonight, focusing on the Who Wants to be a Millionaire fraud, was seen by 16 million viewers with a 2000 actual edition of the gameshow itself in 7th place with nearly 16 million. This year’s finale of The X Factor, which saw Joe McElderry beat Olly Murs, was seen by just over 15 million viewers and a 2000 edition of Heartbeat was also seen by over 15 million viewers – nowadays the series is lucky if 4 million tune in. In 10th place is a 2004 episode of ITV show I’m A Celebrity..Get Me Out of Here!