TV Overnights: ITV1’s NeverEnding Story bags 7.8m
Thursday night brought another elimination to the jungle in I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (ITV1, 8pm). Nine more to go and this will all be a distant memory – remain strong.
There was just so much ‘wilderness’ action to catch up on, we were treated to a whole hour and a half of campfire boredom, bickering and the inevitable tears.
Strange that so much has been made of Brian Conley’s mental health – the rest of the camp mates continue to behave in their usual deranged manner and no one bats an eyelid.
Last night brought the second eviction for this year’s disparate squadron. After notorious Tory MP Nadine Dorries became the first and most obvious rejectee, it was anyone’s guess who would have to walk the rope bridge of failure. Step up Limahl (Chris to his mates).
The NeverEnding Story singer (yes, really) looked bewildered and shocked as he learned his second 15 minutes in the spotlight came to an end. A paltry (by the show’s usually fine standards) 7.8 million (a 31% share) viewers watched as a former Pussycat Doll crawled through the dirt and rats in order to bag herself a warm meal – something which must be a regular sight on the streets of LA. The reality show attracted the day’s biggest audience for ITV1.
At the same time on BBC One, tortured Sam’s journey finally, finally came to an end on Hunted (9pm). The confusing and plain barmy spy thriller has been shedding viewers since its debut eight long weeks ago and an 11% audience share watched in some vain hope that everything would be wrapped up neatly.
It was announced by the BBC two weeks ago that they wouldn’t be picking the series up for another run as the expense/viewer ratio just not working out. The final episode saw unlikely bruiser Sam (Home & Away distancer, Melissa George) finally getting around to sorting out those pesky memories in her head and unravelling the mystery surrounding the little matter of everyone wanting her dead.
An exhausted 2.6 million viewers persevered and tuned in to see if the truth was out there. Fear not fans of running, hats and punching – it has been confirmed that Sam will possibly return in similar spin-off that is being shopped around the States at the moment. Broken fingers crossed.
Up against Sam’s fists of fury was documentary The Aristocrats on Channel 4. The show followed the Marquess of Blandford who is the custodian of Blenheim Palace, a sprawling country house in Oxfordshire. The drama focused on his wayward, drug abusing toff son who is set to inherit his father’s responsibilities. 1.2 million viewers tuned in for a very modern spin on Downton Abbey, resulting in a 5% share.
Strangely, 8pm saw Lord Sugar was also hanging out at the Marquess of Blandford’s gaff on Young Apprentice on BBC One. The young hopefuls were bequeathed with a flogging-tea-and-sandwiches-to-old-dears task, taking advantage of the high volume of visitors to the stately home. Sadly, there were no Class A drugs on the grounds on this particular visit. 3.1 million viewers (a 13% share) tuned in to see Sir Alan of Sugar ruin 17 year old Alice’s life.
Earlier in the day ITV1 decided to slice Thursday’s double visit to Emmerdale down the middle after last week’s hour-long offering. The first visit to the Woolpack at 7pm garnered 6.6 million viewers, with the second trip an hour later increasing to 6.7 million.
EastEnders at 7:30pm on BBC One, proved to be the channel’s biggest draw of the day. 7 million people tuned in to see Cora come face to face with her long lost daughter, securing a 32% 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.