TV Overnights: 13.3m tune in for The X Factor boot camp
ITV1’s X Factor put in an impressive performance this weekend, dominating the all-important ratings on both Saturday and Sunday evening with a peak audience of more than 13.3 million viewers.
Sunday’s show won the highest average audience of the two episodes, securing 11.8 million average viewers between 7.45pm and 9pm. However, more than 10.6 million average viewers (and a 44% share) tuned in for a first look at this year’s boot camp stage, which saw 200 hopefuls whittled down by Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and guest judge Nicole Scherzinger.
32 acts made it through to the judges’ house stage, and if the promo is anything to go by, viewers can expect even more excitement from next week’s show (which will also include the return of former judge Sharon Osbourne).
However, The X Factor wasn’t the only programme to boost ITV1’s schedule this weekend. On Sunday, the new seven-part Edwardian costume drama Downton Abbey attracted a high of 8.3 million peak viewers and a 28.9% average share between 9pm and 10.30pm. The debut episode held on to the peak ratings post-X Factor, seeing off competition from BBC One’s Inspector George Gently and Channel 4’s film premiere of Juno.
By comparison, the return of BBC One’s popular detective series with Martin Shaw pulled in 5.2 million average viewers and a 18.9% share between 8.30pm and 10pm, while Juno picked up 1.9 million average viewers and a 8% share.
Elsewhere, the film premiere of 300 – the action film starring Gerard Butler – banked 2.2 million average viewers for Channel 5 during the Sunday-evening peak slot, while Live Snooker coverage on BBC Two secured 1.5 million average viewers.
On Saturday, the majority of both All Star Fortunes (on before The X Factor) and Simply Red: For the Last Time (on after The X Factor) won the peak ratings, however, BBC One dominated the rest of the schedule.
The channel’s Formula 1 coverage of the Singapore Grand Prix qualifying round pulled in over 2.4 million average viewers during the afternoon slot, before the popular Final Score, Celebrity Total Wipeout and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow continued BBC One’s peak-run in to the evening.
Friday night’s schedule, meanwhile, saw the soaps lead the early evening slots, as usual, and BBC One’s New Tricks dominate the 9pm to 10pm peak-hour with 6.8 million average viewers and a 29.4% share.
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.