Compulsion loses out to Ashes to Ashes
ITV1’s one-off drama Compulsion peaked with 5.4 million viewers at 9pm last night but failed to hold the highest ratings during the full 9pm to 10pm peak-slot.
The drama starring Ray Winstone and Parminder Nagra, which was loosely based on Jacobean tragedy The Changeling, pulled in its highest share during the first fifteen minutes of the programme but then lost out to BBC One’s Ashes to Ashes until it finished at 10pm.
However, Compulsion managed to draw back viewers after 10pm and held on to the peak audience for the last hour of the programme, securing ITV1 with an overall audience share of 21.7%.
Meanwhile, the third episode in BBC One’s eight-part Ashes to Ashes drama attracted more than 5.5 million viewers and a 22.8% average audience share between 9pm and 10pm.
The bank holiday also saw BBC Two pick up over 3.5 million peak viewers for its coverage of The World Snooker Championship – the fourth and concluding session of the final in Sheffield attracted 2.1 million average viewers and a 9.4% share between 8pm and 11pm last night.
On Sunday, BBC One’s Inspector George Gently proved to be the most popular new programme during the all-important evening slot, with more than 6 million peak viewers.
The return of the 1960s detective drama series with Martin Shaw attracted over 5.8 million average viewers and a 25.4% share between 8.30pm and 10pm.
Elsewhere, ITV1’s new three-part series, Martin Clunes: Islands of Britain, pulled in a high of 4.3 million viewers and a 18.2% average share between 9pm and 10pm.
Unsurprisingly, ITV1’s Britain’s Got Talent stole the show on Saturday evening, with an incredible 11.3 million peak viewers.
The reality audition show, with judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan, pulled in over 10.4 million average viewers and a 47% share between 8.20pm and 9.20pm on Saturday.
On Friday, BBC One secured its usual peak-run of Have I Got News For You, Reggie Perrin, News at Ten and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.
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.