They're still very good indeed and the show's in no danger, indeed they've recovered in the last few weeks - but these episodes were filmed when the ratings were falling fast and the supposedly past-it Weakest Link was occasionally beating it (albeit in a better time slot), and Endemol might have felt the need to throw in changes to the show. This was a change to the show, and one they could conceivably have thought up months ago given its use elsewhere in the world.

I agree, however, that the show's audience share means its immediate future is secure. But will it get even close to its previous heights when overall audiences go up again in winter 2007-8? It may well not. And with phone-in competitions in general under a cloud, the show's big prize budget may have to be funded entirely from advertising, and if ratings fall from there the show's future can then be questioned.

I think they did something different because they always do every so often. They did plenty of stuff when the show was riding high too. I think it's just an inventive production, not a reactive one.

I seriously doubt it's winter figures will be that high again myself, simply because it's old news now in many ways. I also doubt they would have any interest at all in whether The Weakest Link got more actual viewers - it's a different slot as you say and as such, apples and oranges. Plus TWL's share will have been far lower. I bet they didn't even notice.

Interesting you mention the phone competitions because the "drop" in DoND figures you mention is precisely when daytime figures for "interactive" shows fell off across the board. I think that's why ITV's repeat dramas have done better than previous daytime efforts. If that's when this show was filmed then that may be relevant.

When the phone thing broke, people switched off in the daytime across the board. No fault of the daytime interactives shows themselves. They all suffered for a while and some people won't come back at all, I'm sure.