TV Overnights: Celebrities and Cobbles secure Monday for ITV1
If the tabloid attention left anyone in doubt, the second episode of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here (ITV1, 9pm) confirmed that the positions for the role of the nation’s two hate figures had been filled.
Corrie dolly bird Helen Flannagan thought a casual approach to displaying her wares may have worked in her favour but unfortunately the show is favoured by a female majority.
Although in her defence, she’s never claimed to be the smartest stick insect in the jungle. Joining her for the first public vote was a woman who riled up viewers more than someone who thinks they’re too good for the cobbles.
At least Nadine Dorries had the good manners to expect her trial by television and accept the public hatred head on. She’s an MP – a conservative MP – a conservative MP that abandoned her duties for the possibility of becoming a celebrity. This simply means things are going to get a lot worse for the 55 year old, who has a long way to go before she can squeeze a drop of sympathy from a stony faced crowd.
An average audience of 9.4 million viewers watched as the pair of pariahs were thrown into a crate full of the usual array of bugs, all for the chance of winning meals for their fellow attention-starved camp mates. Helen lasted a matter of seconds, with Nadine bailing out a few minutes later. 21 days left and counting…
The hour long show pulled in a 37% audience share and was the most watched show of the night. Which makes a change from Coronation Street, I guess.
Speaking of Weatherfield, the nation’s former favourite gave us another double dose of Marcus and Maria’s ‘complicated’ relationship status. What better way to celebrate Monday night by a good old fashioned punch up in the Rovers?
Monday saw word spread to recently ditched Jason of Maria’s new romance via Sean’s large mouth. In typical Jason fashion, he emoted through the powerful medium of administering a swift beating to Marcus over a few pints. Maybe Jason just didn’t like being second best. Which brings us to the ratings – 8.9 million viewers (a 38% share) tuned in for the first episode at 7:30pm, taking position right behind I’m a Celebrity. The 8:30pm episode fared nearly as well, securing 8.8 million and a 35% share.
Although the real winner was ITV1. The commercial station held the higher audience share from 7pm to 10pm, kicking off with Emmerdale at 7pm (7.4 million viewers and a 34%).
The run was only interrupted for half an hour by BBC One’s tale of everyday east end life at 8pm. EastEnders brightened up everyone’s Monday evening by focusing on Syed’s cheerful storyline about giving away his daughter. 7.9 million viewers watched the tearful scenes and pulled in a 32% share, the biggest BBC One show of the day.
Richard Hammond’s Miracles of Nature (BBC One, 9pm) suffered the most from the arrival of the jungle hijinks. The reality show came speeding in like an out of control dragster, skimming 1.4 million viewers week on week from the Hamster’s look at scientific advancements inspired by evolution’s grand design. 2.4 million (a 10% share) tuned in, putting the show far behind its prime time rival on ITV1.
Youth channel BBC Three took a break from comedies and dramas aimed at young urban people in hoodies to bring us the ATP World Tour Finals at 7:30pm, live from London’s 02 arena. 739,000 viewers (a 3.2% share) watched the three hour event. The audience peaked to just under a million in the final minutes as Serb Novak Djokovic dethroned reigning champ Swiss Roger Federer.
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.