TV Overnights: Sherlock banks 8.3m viewers last night

Last night’s Sherlock secured the prime time ratings with a high of more than 8.3 million peak viewers.

The second in the three part series, The Hounds of Baskerville, banked over 8.1 million average viewers and a 29% audience share for BBC One between 8.30pm and 10pm last night.

On ITV1, the new series of Dancing on Ice started on an impressive high of 8.2 million peak viewers. The ice-skating competition, with new co-host Christine Bleakley and judges Robin Cousins, Louie Spence and Katarina Witt, attracted 7.8 million average viewers and a 29.7% share between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.

ITV1 also enjoyed the peak ratings during the Sunday afternoon slot when more than 6.4 million peak viewers tuned in for the Live FA Cup Football.

The Manchester United v Manchester City match, presented by Adrian Chiles, scored an average audience of more than 4.3 million viewers and a 27.3% share between 12.20pm and 6pm.

However, BBC One stole the show on Saturday – securing the peak ratings throughout the whole day. Football Focus (2 million peak viewers), the channel’s Live Great Edinburgh Cross Country 2012 coverage (1.4 million), Live Darts (1.7 million) and Final Score (3.2 million) bolstered the Beeb’s day-time schedule.

Meanwhile, the new six part series The Magicians with Darren McMullen debuted with more than 5.7 million peak viewers and a 22.7% average share between 6.35pm and 7.50pm for BBC One. The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins followed with a high of 6.5 million viewers between 7.50pm and 8.40pm, before Casualty picked up 6.3 million peak viewers in to 8.40pm to 10pm slot.

At the same time, ITV1’s new Saturday night line-up included the new series of the popular dating show Take Me Out (4.8 million peak viewers), the new The Talent Show Story (2.4 million), and the return of The Jonathan Ross Show (2.9 million).

Elsewhere, Channel 5’s new Celebrity Big Brother – with TOWIE‘s Kirk, ex-Eastender Natalie Cassidy and Natasha Giggs – achieved a peak audience of more than 2.2 million viewers between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday, and 2.2 million peak viewers between 10pm and 11pm on Sunday.

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.