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England’s fiery World Cup opener against Iran, which ended 6-2, was watched by a peak of 8M viewers yesterday lunchtime in the UK. The peak was similar to that of host Qatar’s opener with Ecuador.

The game couldn’t come close to matching England’s first game at the Russia World Cup 2018, which hit a peak of 18.6M, although that game was played in the evening.

An average of 5.7M watched yesterday across a near four-hour program on BBC One, as England got their tournament underway with a hugely convincing win. Later, 5M peak watched Senegal vs the Netherlands on ITV and a hefty 11.5M peak tuned in for U.S.’s evening opener against Wales, which ended 1-1.

Ratings for big sporting matches are often deceptively low as the UK’s ratings agency Barb doesn’t take into account viewing in pubs.

England’s game was in...

Piers Morgan has called out the BBC’s coverage of the Qatar World Cup opening ceremony.

Those tuning into watch the event on Sunday (20 November) instead found Gary Lineker delivering an opening monologue, in which he criticised the host country’s treatment of migrant workers as well as its record on human rights.

Ahead of the first match, which was between Qatar and Ecuador, Lineker explained why the World Cup had become “the most controversial in history”.

Instead of showing events from the opening ceremony, which included a divisive cameo from Morgan Freeman, Lineker presented a segment that highlighted the allegations of corruption behind Fifa’s decision to let the country host the tournament.

He then led his fellow pundits Alex Scott, Ashley Williams and Alan Shearer in a discussion regarding workers rights and the country’s discriminatory laws against the LGBTQ+ community.

Morgan said the BBC’s decision to...

The BBC has debunked Piers Morgan ‘s criticism of its Qatar World Cup opening ceremony coverage.

Morgan took issue with the channel’s decision to not show the event, which included a divisive cameo from Morgan Freeman, in favour of reports on the controversy surrounding Qatar’s selection as host country.

Those tuning into watch the event on Sunday (20 November) instead found Gary Lineker delivering an opening monologue, in which he criticised the host country’s record on human rights.

Ahead of the first match, which was between Qatar and Ecuador, Lineker explained why the World Cup had become “the most controversial in history”.

He then led his fellow pundits Alex Scott, Ashley Williams and Alan Shearer in a discussion regarding workers’ rights and the country’s discriminatory laws against the LGBTQ+ community.

Morgan claimed that the BBC’s decision to lead on the controversy as opposed to the opening...

After being overshadowed by the BBC’s focus on the human rights issues that have been surrounding the World Cup 2022, yesterday’s opener between hosts Qatar and Ecuador kicked off with a hefty peak of 8M viewers.

The game, which ended 2-0 to Ecuador, was watched by an average of 6.2M across its 195-minute run time – 2M ahead of the opener four years ago between Russia and Saudi Arabia on ITV.

Ratings for big sporting matches are often deceptively low as the UK’s ratings agency Barb doesn’t take into account viewing in pubs, although this will have mattered less for a Qatar vs Ecuador game on a Sunday afternoon in late November.

The match was a hugely disappointing one for a Qatari side who have been preparing for this tournament ever since it was awarded in 2010, and by the end spectators could be seen leaving the Al Bayt Stadium in droves.

Opening ceremonies to major sporting events are, in the robust opinion of a committed sports fan, a sop to the people who love the drama and spectacle of international commingling, but have little interest in the games being played.

At the Olympics, they have become an enormous, gaudy art form in their own right – from the jaw-dropping show at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest to the cringe-inducing fantasia of London 2012 – but they’ve never been such a big part of World Cups. Perhaps the only lasting memory of an opening ceremony is Diana Ross missing, with the goal at her mercy, during the 1994 curtain-raising bonanza. On Saturday, Gianni Infantino, the polyglot head of FIFA, set the tone for this tournament’s opening.

Sat at a press conference, an array of sponsored items laid out before him like The Generation Game conveyor belt, Infantino gave an impassioned defence of the tournament.

Doctor Who’s brand new companion will be unveiled tonight during Children in Need.

The character will debut during the televised charity event, which will be broadcast on Friday (18 November).

It is currently unknown who will play the role, but whoever it is will be joining he series alongside Ncuti Gatwa, who will succeed returning star David Tennant as the Time Lord.

Tennant will return as the Doctor for three episodes in November 2023 alongside former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney will also feature in the specials.

The return of Tennant came at the end of Jodie Whittaker’s final outing, which was broadcast last month.

Gatwa’s first Doctor Who episode will air over the Christmas period in 2023.

This year’s Children in Need, which helps to raise money to provide frontline support to children and young people across the UK, will be hosted by Ade Adepitan MBE,...

BBC’s Children in Need is back for another year to raise money for children and young people across the UK.

The 2022 event, according to the BBC, will be “jam-packed with exclusive sketches, exciting performances, music, dance and a few Big surprises”.

During the show, Ncuti Gatwa’s new companion on Doctor Who will be unveiled.

Read below for more information about Children in Need 2022, including who’s hosting, guest performances, appeal night highlights and how to donate.

Who’s hosting and what time will it air?

This year’s show will welcome back Ade Adepitan MBE, Mel Giedroyc, Chris Ramsey and Alex Scott MBE as returning hosts. They will be joined by first-time host comedian Jason Manford.

Children in Need 2022 will broadcast live from MediaCityUK in Salford on Friday 18 November, and will be broadcast from 7-10pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Guest musical performances

Viewers can expect to...

Taylor Swift has reflected on a screen test she did with Eddie Redmayne for the 2012 film Les Misérables.

The singer was almost cast in the movie as Éponine, but the role eventually went to British star Samantha Barks instead.

In the new episode of The Graham Norton Show, which will air on BBC One tonight (28 October), Taylor recalled the screen test she did with Redmayne, who played Marius.

“Basically I was up for two roles – I had the look of Cosette and the range vocally of Éponine, so it was established I was there for a good time but not for a long time, I wasn’t going to get the role,” she said.

“But, they asked if I would like to go to London to do a screen test with Eddie, who is one of my favourite actors, and I thought ‘This isn’t an experience I am going...