DOCTOR Who bosses probably wish they could take a Tardis back to a time the show was still a guaranteed ratings hit.
On New Year’s Day the struggling sci-fi series attracted its worst viewing figures under new Time Lord JODIE WHITTAKER.
Her debut season in 2018 kicked off with more than nine million viewers but steadily fell to around six million a week.
But Wednesday’s show peaked at just over five million viewers and, at one point, fell to just 4.88million.
A TV insider said: “Beeb bosses were hoping the downturn in ratings towards the end of the last series was just the novelty of Jodie’s arrival wearing off a little.
“But the fact that the new season seems to have fared even worse will have them worrying whether it has less to do with who plays the Time Lord, and signs of a greater problem with the show.
“After all, the debut episode aired on a day when many people were still off work and school, so should have attracted a more substantial audience.”
The new season’s first adventure, Spyfall — a two-parter inspired by James Bond films — continues on Sunday night.
The series will now air on Sunday nights, too. Spyfall stars STEPHEN FRY as MI6’s spymaster and SIR LENNY HENRY as a 007-style baddie.
In a sensational twist, SACHA DHAWAN joins the cast as The Doctor’s long-time nemesis The Master.
It marks the first time the Time Lord has been on our screens since last New Year’s Day, when Jodie was seen battling the Daleks.
The slump in viewers comes after the Beeb didn’t bring the show back in 2019, failing to capitalise on the renewed interest in Doctor Who.
I’m sure show bosses are regretting that now.
Trolled Jake on break
JAKE Quickenden is taking a break from media to look after his mental health – after being trolled online.
The 2018 Dancing On Ice champ announced his hiatus on Instagram, saying being called “worthless” and “irrelevant” had got to him.
He wrote: “Gonna be coming off social media for a little while. Honestly, it’s not been good for my head. Only so many times you can get called worthless or irrelevant.
“I say it doesn’t bother me but sometimes it does. I start doubting myself and I’m just doing what anyone does, trying to earn a living!
“Thank you to the people that are always lovely! Happy New Year!”
Millie Bobby Brown, Shawn Mendes and Selena Gomez have taken similar breaks from social media. I hope Jake’s back to comment on Love Island.
must watch
WHAT? Snow Cats And Me, BBC2, 7pm.
WHY? Follow the journey of adorable lynx kittens as they recover after being kept in a Russian flat. They are taught to hunt before being released into the wilderness of Siberia.
Cheryl's a Latin lover
CHERYL Tweedy is hoping to show off her moves again when she returns as a judge on The Greatest Dancer.
Ahead of the first episode of the second series tomorrow, the former Girls Aloud singer said: “I loved dancing with the Strictly pros last year.”
Cheryl, who is on the panel alongside Matthew Morrison, Oti Mabuse and newcomer Todrick Hall, continued: “Latin and ballroom is something I haven’t done since I was six years old and I just loved experiencing that, so I think there will be a lot more performances from the dance captains this year.”
Alesha Dixon, who co-hosts the BBC1 show with Jordan Banjo, was disappointed by the lack of street dance from contestants this year.
She said: “I would have liked to have seen a little bit more but I think on a positive note, we had a little bit of everything.
“There is something there for everyone and there are just so many different genres of dance and everybody’s tastes are different. You want to make sure you’ve got that nice balance.”
bizbit
TOWIE star Fran Parman was left in tears during a confrontation with co-star and ex James ‘Diags’ Bennewith laughed over continuing to sleep together.
During the episode, available on the iPlayer from Sunday, she told him: “I just don’t know how you can love someone for so many years and then you’re laughing about it.”
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