TV Overnights: ITV1 steals the weekend-ratings crown
ITV1 dominated the weekend ratings with its Friday night soap line-up, the Collision finale, the much-talked about X Factor and the return of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
The channel’s flagship soap Corrie peaked with an impressive high of more than 9 million viewers on Friday evening, which helped to secure ITV1’s prime time run from 7pm through to 10pm.
The conclusion to ITV1’s new five-part detective series Collision, which aired every evening last week, followed with 6.5 million peak viewers and a 26.8% average audience share. The programme easily claimed the top spot during the all-important 9pm to 10pm peak-hour despite slipping down from its debut episodes’ 8.1 million viewers.
On Saturday, ITV1’s coverage of the Brazil v England game secured the day-time ratings, pulling in a high of more than 7.4 million viewers. Although BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing managed to win over the peak audience towards the end of the match, attracting 10.6 million peak viewers and the highest share between 6.50pm and 8pm.
However, ITV1 soon stepped up with this week’s X Factor, which picked up more than 13.3 million peak viewers. The programme banked 11.9 million average viewers and an impressive 45% audience share between 8pm and 9.30pm.
Piers Morgan’s Life Stories: Vinnie Jones held on to the peak audience once The X Factor finished. The hour-long show pulled in a high of 5.2 million viewers and a 22% share between 9.30pm and 10pm.
On Sunday, BBC One’s one-off special Doctor Who starring David Tennant claimed the early evening slot, finishing on a high of 9.6 million viewers. The hour-long programme, which was scheduled in the slot before The X Factor, pulled in 9.1 million average viewers and a 33.9% share.
The X Factor results show, meanwhile, went on to attract a staggering 15.2 million peak viewers and a 47.9% average audience share in the 8pm to 9pm slot. The finalists returned to sing their charity single You Are Not Alone and Shakira performed her new single Did It Again.
However, the hour-long programme pulled in its highest ratings in the final fifteen minute slot, when Jamie Archer and Lloyd Daniels battled it out to keep their place in the talent show. After going to dead lock, Jamie was booted out for having the least public votes.
ITV1’s peak position didn’t stop there. The channel’s new I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! series started on a high of 10.4 million viewers at 9pm. The jungle show went on to bank 9.7 million average viewers and a 36.1% audience share between 9pm and 10.30pm.
The new series, which will dominate ITV1’s daily prime time schedule from now on, features celebrities George Hamilton, Kim Woodburn and Sam Fox. Katie Price is expected to be an added boost to the show’s ratings when she enters the Australian camp as a latecomer.
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.