Channel 4 Doubles Average Viewing Share With Opening Big Brother Episodes

Channel 4’s Big Brother returned to our screens on Saturday attracting an average of 3.3m viewers, with a peak of 3.6m, according to unofficial overnight figures, coming close to last year’s debut episode with an 18% share, twice the channel’s average.

The second show in the nine week run which aired on Monday at 10pm, is thought to have been watched by an average of 3.4m, above the average audience level of 3m achieved across the show’s first week last year.

Last year’s introductory show, which aired on Tuesday 18 July attracted a peak of 4.1m viewers during its 9-10pm slot, with an average of 3.6m or 17.2% audience share.

Channel 4 is offering a more interactive instalment of fly-on-the-wall entertainment this summer, with up to 21 hours of live footage available on E4. A half-hour long magazine show, hosted by Dermot O’Leary will air five days a week on the digital channel and digital viewers will be able to make their weekly eviction through their remote control. Fans will also be able to receive the latest updates through their mobile phones (see Big Brother To Have Interactive Voting And Games).

The new format will give viewers the chance to vote a new member into the house following the first eviction.

Channel 4: 020 7396 4444 www.channel4.com

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