ITV Claims Best Weekend So Far This Year

ITV has managed its largest Sunday primetime viewing share to date this year, according to unofficial overnights. Fourteen million viewers tuned into the opening episode of The Beatles Anthology yesterday, which ITV expects to exceed 15 million once the consolidated figures are in.

Heartbeat, at 7pm attracted an audience of 16.2 million; the Beatles, at 8pm then lost some viewers, at 13.9 million, before rising for London’s Burning (14.3 million) at 9pm. These figures gave ITV a 57.6% share of the peaktime audience, compared to 20.6% for BBC1. BBC1 was showing Just William, Showstoppers, Hotshots, The Vicar of Dibley and the final episode of the Final Cut.

ITV also managed to beat BBC1 in terms of share on Saturday night, led by The Royal Variety Performance which averaged 10.9 million viewers giving ITV a peaktime share of 44.9%, (BBC1, 40.1%). “This is our best weekend in 1995 to date…it is confirmation of ITV’s continuing strength in the face of increased competition.”

Source: ITV/Unofficial BARB overnights.