To think that people under 50 don’t watch the king’s speech on Christmas Day?

[AlertCat]

Just that really. I’ve never watched it because I grew up in a household that wasn’t royalist. I don’t know any friends who make time to watch it. The only person I know who does watch it is my 82-year-old MiL.
So do you watch it? Are you under 50?

63 and never watched it.

Just not interested in an over privileged person reading a pre written script (most likely not written by them at all but their PR team) not living in the real world, as if they care about us minions

I am 60 and DH is nearly 70 and don't watch it. I never had and DH hadn't watched it since an elderly relation died, probably over 50 years ago.

I'm way past 50 and never have.

I'd be quite interested to know why anyone does watch it.

Dd 16 loves it!

61. It is boring so I stopped watching it once the queen died.

I'm nearly 60 and haven't watched it. Or the Queen. I think I was maybe made to watch a Royal broadcast once, as a child, at home with fault, when I would have been 10 or so.
I have no interest in the Royal family.

I watched as it was filmed in the chapel of the hospital where I trained to be a nurse. Other than that I wouldn't bother, it really has little relevance or impact on me and my life.

Exactly what I would have said.
So sick of over privileged people telling us how to behave.

Never watched it once or remember watching it growing up. I’m 35.

that's why i am going to watch, not a nurse but an ex employee

I have even less interest in anything King Charles has to say to us, now that he & his son have been revealed to be essentially slumlords and creaming off money for themselves from public services and charities. It is a mystery to me why anyone would be interested.

Am not a royalist particularly, but on balance I’d say I’d rather have the Royal Family than not. However at 52 have never watched either the Queen’s or King’s Speech. Nor have any of my family (including Grandparents when they were alive). And I don’t suppose I ever will. Not anti it, but just unbothered and not part of our family’s Christmas.

7m people watched, according to overnight figures, so clearly some people under 50 did!

Given the population of the UK, that's about one in ten.

I don't think you can conclude from that that any prpportion of any demographic must have watched it. What you can conclude is that it's a very small minority who give a monkey's.

Ehh, it was the third most popular thing on BBC that day... Only beaten by Gavin and Stacey and Wallace and Gromit, which were specials - and nostalgic to the majority of people who are "running" Christmas... So would naturally attract higher figures anyway.

The King got more viewers than Call the Midwife, EastEnders , Doctor Who and Strictly. Shows which people seem to think are very popular and well liked. All have a 'tradition' of the annual Christmas episodes. So are similar to the The King in that sense, and the speech beat them all.

Anyway, even the most popular shows aren't watched by THAT many people. So The King is watched by a significant portion of the population in terms of TV viewing.

https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2024/bbc-christmas-day-ratings

Well, yeah - TV is not as popular as it was, given all the other programming available.

But I think you're supporting my point. Our reigning monarch is marginally less compelling than a plasticine dog.

Not really.

It's like comparing apples and orange, isn't it?

Of all the regular annual Christmas episodes/shows on the BBC, it is the most popular.

Strictly special and gladiators special would be fair comparison.

I just watched it, the chapel was beautiful

The programme was good with lots of short videos

I’m 45 and have never watched him, nor the Queen.

Im always far too busy either having fun or cooking etc., it doesn’t really cross my mind to watch it!