TV Overnights: Murray v Ferrer peaks at 5.7 million on BBC Two

Wimbledon 2012 dominated yesterday’s early evening viewing as Andy Murray went head to head with Spaniard David Ferrer for a place in the semi-final. The coverage bounced around between channels almost as much as the ball on court, with the match kicking off around 3:15pm. BBC One’s first block of four hour coverage began at 1:45pm and secured an average audience of 3 million viewers, peaking at 4.4 million at 5pm. BBC Two took over at 5:50pm, peaking at 6:45pm with 5.7 million viewers tuning in to see Murray secure his next game. Not only did the game pull in the TV viewers, the glittering all-star audience, including Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, watched from the Royal Box in an Avengers-style gathering of the tennis world.

To land people safely back on earth after the excitement of the tennis was When I Get Older (9pm), an downer-fest from the BBC. The informative documentary served to remind us that life will probably get much worse the older we live. Four celebrity pensioners, including Tony Robinson and her of Birds of a Feather, set off around the country and explored delightful reality’s facing the older members of our society, such as living hand to mouth and taking care of an immobile partner. 3.5 million people watched as the celebrities bought a sprinkle of glamour in to the lives of the struggling and grieving, securing a 15% audience share.

Over on ITV at 9pm you’d be forgiven for thinking we were in the middle of Euro 2012 all over again. Up against the elderly that was over on the Beeb was yet another repeat of Midsomer Murders (ITV1, 8pm). A familiar sight during the recent football tournament, the two hour detective show still managed to beat BBC One’s 9pm offering. Originally aired in May 2011, the episode saw detectives Jones and Barnaby infiltrate a Midsomer cult(!) and secured 3.9 million viewers, resulting in an 18% share.

For the second day in a row Emmerdale (ITV, 7:00pm) repeated the trick of beating its Southern rival EastEnders, as the London soap was moved back to accommodate the tennis. In the Dales, social pariah Ashley was spotted rummaging through bins while sleeping rough in the buzzing metropolis of Hotton. 5.8 million viewers tuned in to see thoughtful Chas Dingle leave touching letters to her friends and family shortly before running off with her niece’s man, securing a 29% share in the process.

This was followed by constant favourite Coronation Street (ITV1, 7:30pm) and there was treachery afoot on the cobbles. Steve McDonald’s latest run in with a vengeful god that clearly doesn’t like him saw his cab firm taking a nose dive and losing all its bookings. A little investigation uncovered a new rival firm set up by his BFF Lloyd. 7 million viewers caught up with Weatherfield’s latest doomed business venture, pulling in a 33% share.

Meanwhile on EastEnders (BBC One, 8:30pm) Kat’s quest to take another man garnered some success. After spending a shudder inducing day flirting with the likes of Ray, Derek, Max, Jack and Michael, one of the men cornered Kat in the kitchen of the Queen Vic and instigated a round of post-watershed action. 5.4 million viewers had to deal with the disturbing mental images projected by the situation, pulling in a 25% share.

Overnight data is available each morning in mediatel.co.uk’s TV Database, with all BARB registered subscribers able to view reports for terrestrial networks and key multi-channel stations.