Death in Paradise’s sunny winter escapism continues to reign
Last night saw the season of silly crime shows continue as sunny, senseless and seductive Death in Paradise (BBC One, 9pm) provided much needed respite from the reality of ice-cold rain.
The second episode of the breezy murder show’s fifth series saw Kris Marshall’s DI Goodman and officer Myers (figuratively) get in bed with those dodgy politician types as the picturesque Caribbean Island of Sainte Marie was host to a good old-fashioned poisoning.
Despite dumping bumbling leading Englishman Ben Miller at the start of the third series (he was actually offed with an ice pick) and replacing him with Marshall’s younger bumbling leading Englishman, the show’s mix of manslaughter, loose plotting and pervasive sunshine has seen a healthy audience return year after year.
Last week saw 6.8 million viewers tune in for this year’s opening sacrificial slaughter of a vaguely recognisable guest stars, although last night saw the show suffer a -10% fall week on week.
6.1 million viewers got caught up in Thursday’s tale of a suspiciously expired governor, resulting in the biggest 9pm audience with a 27% share.
At the same time, ITV’s interesting Northern Western continued as the second episode of period drama Jericho (9pm) reunited viewers with the Yorkshire cowboys.
Set in a shanty town built in the shadow of a viaduct construction in the Dales, the 1870s-set tale opened up with a little under 3 million viewers last week and saw little change for last night’s instalment.
2.8 million viewers watched as Jericho‘s Lawman, Mark Addy, got close to the truth about newcomer Jessica Raine’s circumstances, resulting in a 12% share.
Elsewhere, Stargazing Live took viewers on a search for gravitational waves at 9pm on BBC Two, netting 1.2 million viewers and a 5% share.
At 9pm on Channel 4, architect George Clarke continued to take all the glory in the latest episode of the misleadingly-titled The Restoration Man despite the fact that each week George simply spends his time looking at other random restoration men doing their thing.[advert position=”left”]
1.5 million viewers and a 7% share tuned in to support the charade.
On Channel 5, Celebrity Big Brother (9pm) continued to exist, bringing the same lost 2 million viewers into its vortex of wrong, resulting in a 9% share.
8pm brought Dickensian on BBC One and netted 2.5 million viewers, while Room 101 at 8:30pm secured 2.7 million viewers.
On BBC Two, World’s Sneakiest Animals (8pm) was watched by 1.7 million viewers, while ITV’s particular brand of sly pests, Birds of a Feather brought in 4.7 million viewers and a 22% share.
On Channel 4, the latest Location, Location, Location was fairly indistinguishable from any other episodes in its 12 year history but somehow brought in 2.3 million viewers and an 11% share instead.
Earlier Emmerdale (ITV) managed to secure the biggest audience of the day with 6.5 million viewers (a 32% share) tuning in at 7pm, followed by 6.2 million (a 29% share) at 8pm.
BBC One’s EastEnders (7:30pm) only managed second place, with the glut of charming, happy scenarios securing 6.5 million viewers and a 31% 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. 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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