Triumphant Return For Hotel Babylon

The return of BBC One’s camp fun-fest, Hotel Babylon, attracted a peak of 5.4 million adult viewers last night, a 26.7% share of the audience.

The show, starring Tamzin Outhwaite and Max Beesley, had an average audience of 5.1 million across its hour-long running time and was easily the most watched programme on at 9pm.

As one show returned, another departed, with BBC Two’s The Verdict finishing its run. The programme monitored a jury made up of celebrities as they wrestled with their consciences and attempted to deliver justice in a fictitious court case.

Also on at 9pm, it managed to draw a peak audience of 2.4 million adults, all eager to see the likes of disgraced politician Jeffrey Archer and Chris Tarrant’s ex-wife Ingrid decide the verdict.

Over on ITV1, the broadcaster’s recently launched comedy double-bill of Bonkers and Benidorm saw their audiences fall again.

Bonkers‘ peak audience last night, of 2.7 million adults, was well down on its peak figure last week, of 4.2 million adults, whilst the sun-soaked shenanigans of Benidorm also proverd less appealing to viewers, with last night’s peak of 3.5 million adults down on the previous week’s figure of 4.3 million (see Bonkers And Benidorm Drop Viewers).

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, ITV2 and Sky One.

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com