TV Overnights: Luther impresses with more than 5.7 million viewers

BBC One’s new prime time drama Luther, starring The Wire‘s Idris Elba, started on high of 5.7 million peak viewers during the all-important 9pm to 10pm slot last night.

The first episode of the much-publicised thriller easily secured the peak-hour top spot for BBC One with 5.6 million average viewers and a 23.8% audience share.  ITV1’s long-running police drama The Bill failed to compete with 2.6 million viewers and a 11.1% average audience share.

Channel 4’s Heston’s 70s Feast attracted an even lower 2.4 million viewers and 10.3% average share during the 9pm to 10pm peak-hour, while Five’s popular CSI: Crime Scene Investigation banked 1.8 million viewers and a 7.7% share.

BBC Two’s The Story of Science – Power, Proof and Passion, meanwhile, pulled in 1.6 million average viewers and a 7% audience share.

Earlier on in the evening, BBC One completed its peak run with Eastenders and Holby City.  Eastenders’ picked up a high of 9.2 million viewers at 7.30pm, before Holby City pulled in 6.2 million peak viewers at 8pm.

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.