16.8 Million Adults Share England’s Bitter Exit From World Cup

England’s bitter defeat to Portugal netted a peak of 16.8 million adult viewers on Saturday afternoon for BBC One, with 75.6% of the adult viewing population tuning in.

However, this was less than watched the England v Sweden match earlier in the tournament, which drew 17.9 million adult viewers, probably owing to the game falling on a Tuesday evening.

Wimbledon on BBC Two was no competition for England’s dramatic exit from the World Cup, with a peak of just two million adult viewers or 11.4% tuning in to see youngster Andy Murray on top form at the tennis tournament.

France’s heroic performance to knock current Cup holders Brazil out of the competition pulled in a peak of more than six-and-a-half million adult viewers to ITV1, beating Channel 4’s Big Brother, which netted an average of 2.6 million adult viewers.

83.4% of ABC1 Men, a peak of over four-and-a-half million, tuned in to see Portugal’s win, while an average of 1.4 million or 39% saw the Brazilians sent home by a brilliant French performance and a stunning goal from Thierry Henry.

Germany’s thrilling win through a penalty shoot-out with the hotly-tipped Argentina on Friday afternoon drew a peak of almost nine million adult viewers, an average of nearly five million (46% of the viewing population).

Ukraine’s defeat to Italy on Friday evening pulled in an average of almost five million adult viewers or over 28% of the adult viewing population for BBC One, whilst Coronation Street on ITV1 netted an average of almost six million, or 35.8%.

Channel 4’s Deal Or No Deal put in a valiant effort during the Germany v Argentina match, grabbing 20.5% of the adult viewing population during the game, which saw a brawl break out between the players as Klinsmann’s men were through to the semi-finals.

BB‘s Live Eviction did well later on, with almost five million adult viewers watching housemate Aisleyne “evicted” to the secret house next door. 66.5% of ABC1 Men (a peak of 2.6 million) watched the German victory, whilst 43.2% of them (a peak of two million) saw the Ukrainians beaten.

With sore heads and no football on Sunday, the USA Grand Prix managed to pull in a peak of 5.2 million adult viewers (an average of 3.2 million) or 25% of the adult viewing population between 5pm and 8pm. 33.5% or a peak of 1.1 million ABC1 Men tuned in for some fast car action.

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