New harmonious version of I’m a Celeb still has pulling power for ITV
Thursday night saw ITV’s highly lucrative I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (8:30pm) edge closer to the end as yet another campmate exited the jungle, whittling down the original 13 candidates to a mere six in a lead up to Sunday’s grand finale.
After losing the despicable but audience-drawing Lady Colin Campbell two days ago, last night’s 90 minutes of bug crunching fun saw broken and drained dragon Duncan Bannatyne escape back into the real world.
After surviving unprecedented levels of mental torture (the kind that only living in close quarters with Lady C can provide), the self-made Scottish entrepreneur then faced declining physical prowess but still managed to prove himself in the trials.
Last night’s visit to the increasingly harmonious (and progressively duller) camp netted 7.6 million viewers for ITV, resulting in the day’s biggest audience and a 34% share.
Over on BBC One, another brave family invited Dr Rangan Chatterjee into their home, happy to air their unhealthy habits for all to see.
More an educational endeavour than, say , the horror show of Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, the third and final instalment of Doctor in the House was watched by 2.5 million viewers and an 11% share.
On BBC Two, bloody angry man show The Last Kingdom (9pm) reached its penultimate episode, with 1.5 million viewers and a 7% share tuning in to see Uhtred deal with his difficult romantic life between causing lots of the usual bloodshed.
Speaking of which, 24 Hours in A&E (Channel 4, 9pm) provided another traumatic/gripping/emotional hour of TV as its unfortunate real-life stars once again made audiences squirm.
1.2 million viewers tuned in for a fresh array of horrific injuries, netting a 5% share.
Over on Channel 5 Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild UK introduced another London couple who packed it in for an ‘easier’ existence. 893,000 viewers watched as Ben visited their pig-rich home in Exmoor National Park, resulting in a 4% share.
Earlier at 8pm, Watchdog netted 3.2 million viewers and a 15% share on BBC One while MasterChef: The Professionals secured 2.4 million viewers and an 11% share on BBC Two.
On Channel 5, Alex Polizzi’s Italian Islands (8pm) showed the hotelier having a grand old time as the low-key travelogue continued. 907,000 viewers and a 4% share tuned in for the second episode which saw Alex visit some more very unseasonal sunny islands.
[advert position=”left”]After previously capturing the activities of four and five year-olds, yesterday’s The Secret Life of… (8pm) penultimate episode saw the voyeuristic show refocus its hidden cameras exclusively on unaware six year-olds.
The slightly bizarre format brought in 1.6 million viewers, with the tiny tots brand of social order securing a 7% share.
Even earlier, BBC One’s EastEnders faced off against a double helping of its arch nemesis Emmerdale, with the London-set soap coming out victorious.
5.6 million viewers tuned in to see former crack head, current alcoholic, Phil Mitchell get into the festive sprit and wet his whistle a bit too early in the day, resulting in a 30% share.
At 7pm, ITV’s rural crime drama Emmerdale netted 5.6 million viewers and a 30% share as Chrissie Sugden was found not guilty of causing the soap’s last big stunt (a wedding day helicopter crash, as you do) with another 5.6 million tuning in at 8pm, with the share falling to 27%.
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. Overnight data supplied by TRP are based on 15 minute slot averages. This may differ from tape checked figures, which are based on a programme’s actual start and end time.
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