TV Overnights: Sunita’s dramatic exit pulls in 8.5m for ITV
The overcrowded world of police procedural dramas last night welcomed the return of two popular crime fighting faces to the midweek evening schedule.
Even though it felt like that last series of Scott & Bailey (ITV, 9pm) had just kicked off, it has in fact been a whole twelve months since the emotionally weathered lady cops graced our screens.
Depiction of life up North was just as tough and gritty as ever for the Cagney and Lacey of the Arndale Shopping Centre, as the tough female detectives were once again facing some seriously grim scenes. This week’s highlights included a decapitated pensioner, with a sprinkle of dark family secrets thrown in for good measure.
5.8 million viewers tuned in for the start of the third series, as Scott and old Bailey struggled to balance work with their pesky personal lives. The programme, from playwright Sally Wainwright, secured a 25% share and locked in the biggest audience in the 9pm slot.
At the same time, Channel 4 was mourning the end of dependable performer One Born Every Minute (9pm). As the fourth series came to an end, the overpopulation problem saw no sign s of slowing down as another downpour of younglings came flooding out into the world.
On display last night was the usual array of humanity, as staff at the Leeds infirmary helped issued in arrival packages for a 17 mother and a dedicated Christian couple. The last chance to soak up an hour of horrifying scream echoing off hospital walls attracted an audience of 2 million viewers and a 9% share.
Over on BBC One in the primetime slot was a show that was reminiscing in content to those homemade Sky One shows in the 1990s. The second episode in the fourth series of Motorway Cops (9pm) was police officers dealing with all kinds of worrying automotive mischief and managed to capture 3.6 million viewers and a 15% share.
Earlier in the evening, ITV and BBC One sent their most redundant culinary shows out into the 8pm battle arena in a fight to the messy end.
Moon faced brothers Gregg Wallace and John Torode got five new contestants ready for the chopping board in the never-ending ninth series of MasterChef (BBC One, 8pm). As repetitive as the lengthy series may be, viewers were still lapping up the televisual empty calories. An impressive audience of 4.9 million people caught up with the latest round of heats, netting a 22% share.
Over on ITV, Carol Vorderman’s insatiable appetite for quality nosh remained unsatisfied as the presenter rounded up innocent people from the south of the country, demanding they cook her their finest meal.
As the first (and thankfully, only) series of Food Glorious Food (ITV, 8pm) creaked into the final third act, the four judges struggled through yet more nauseating ‘traditional dishes with a twist’ and the downright wrong. 2.5 million viewers caught up with the latest bout of rosette dispensing, resulting in an 11% share.
But as usual it was the home-grown soaps in the early evening that proved the day’s biggest hitters with ITV providing both of Wednesday’s top two shows. Emmerdale (ITV) at 7pm brought in 6.6 million viewers and a 33% share.
Coronation Street (ITV, 7:30pm) followed straight afterwards and a night of exits was on the cards. Wednesday’s trip to the treacherous cobbled streets of Weatherfield saw unhinged mentalist, and part time crying machine, Kirsty wave goodbyes to all the good friends she made over the years.
Elsewhere, it was time to dump Sunita Alahan down the rubbish shoot of disposed soap characters as the former barmaid finally lost the fight against her injuries. Despite having survived a tram crash, a murder attempt and a brain tumour, it was evil Karl and the Great Fire of 2013 that put an end to the long running character.
8.5 million viewers tuned in to see Dev say a teary goodbye, resulting in a 39% share. Still, after many years being married to Dev, Sunita’s most probably in a much better place now.
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.