TV Overnights: England’s penalty agony draws in 22m viewers
England’s Euro 2012 quarter final defeat to Italy on penalties stole the headlines in every sense, peaking at 22 million viewers when extra time began at 10pm.
As Roy Hodgson’s side struggled to hold on against the Italians, BBC One had all the viewers it could possibly want and more, and an average of 17.4 million sat through the entire backs-to-the-wall display. The football comprehensively dominated the primetime slot, with 21 million daring to watch proceedings from behind the sofa.
While Antonio Nocerino was wheeling away in celebration, only to see the offside flag raised, the game held an audience share of 74%, the highest figure of the weekend. The last time England failed at a major tournament, just two years ago in South Africa, the BBC’s coverage pulled in an average of 17.8 million viewers. Perhaps we were slightly more cynical this time around.
Sunday
On a veritable day of sport, BBC One dominated in the manner of Sebastian Vettel, who led the European Grand Prix by a country mile until his engine failed, only losing out to ITV1 between 5pm and 5.30pm, as popular comedy drama Doc Martin reached its climax. The coverage of the race in Valencia peaked at five million viewers at 2.30pm, with an audience share of 37.6%.
It was a rather quiet day for BBC Two and ITV1: the Athletics: Olympic Trials peaked for the former between 5pm and 7pm with an average of 1.9 million viewers and an 11% audience share. ITV, meanwhile, was boosted by Alicia’s shock visit to Justin in Emmerdale, which achieved 4.6 million viewers across ITV and ITV HD.
Channel 4’s big hitter was the, wait for it, science fiction comedy horror film Attack The Block, which peaked at 1.6 million viewers at 10.30pm with the highest audience share of the day for Channel 4, of 2%.
For Channel 5, it was the antics of the Big Brother house that brought in the most viewers. 906,000 (1.31% audience share) watched as housemates Shievonne and Conor threw parties for Ashleigh, but the former’s Egyptian theme failed to impress.
Saturday
Euro 2012 dominated once again on Saturday evening, as Spain’s comprehensive 2-0 victory over France drew the largest audience share of the day for ITV1. 34.2% of the audience share and a peak of eight million viewers at 9.15pm, a quarter of an hour before Xabi Alonso buried Les Blues with his second from the penalty spot.
Once again, the Athletics: Olympic Trials played on the pre-London 2012 fever, as our young athletes staked their claim to represent the country in Stratford next month. An average of 1.6 million viewers and 11% of the audience share watched the nation’s hopefuls, while the BBC’s Inspector George Gently, set in the 1960s, was the runner-up in the primetime battle, with 3.6 million viewers and a 16% audience share at its peak at 9.45pm.
Besides ITV1’s Euro 2012 coverage, the BBC held the highest audience share for all the daytime slots, losing out to its arch rival from 7pm to 10pm, but the last hour of Channel 4’s The Million Pound Drop Live, hosted by Davina McCall, stole the peak with 1.6 million viewers at 11pm, and held it until the midnight hour.
Channel 5’s Big Brother reached over one million viewers at 10pm, once again drawing in the biggest audience share for the broadcaster.
Friday
Pantomime villain Janine Malloy and her wedding to con-man Michael Moon pushed Eastenders to a peak of 7.4 million viewers for the soap’s hour-long episode. An average of 31.9% tuned in to see Janine’s waters break in Albert Square itself, or perhaps not precisely for this reason, between 7pm and 8pm.
As our heart rates returned to normal following this excitement, we were treated to a footballing masterclass as Europe’s money lenders took on the continent’s most indebted nation, Germany and Greece going head-to-head in Euro 2012 action on ITV1.
From 8.30pm to 10pm the efficiency of Joachim Low’s side capitivated the nation, with a peak of 7.3 million viewers watching on in awe as the Germans put four goals past the Greeks in the second half.
Jimmy Carr’s recent tax misdemeanours certainly made for an entertaining episode of 8 Out of 10 Cats, as while panellist Sean Lock was mocking the comedian, ratings soared to 2.3 million, and a 10.9% share of the audience at the end of the primetime hour.
The Big Brother: Live Eviction brought in an audience of 1.6 million for Channel 5 at 9pm, which was the highest rating of the day for the channel. Although losing out to Gardeners’ World on the BBC Two ratings board, from 4pm to 4.30pm the coverage of Royal Ascot and audience of 1.2 million was the largest share (13%) of any of the five channels.
This was snatched by Channel 4’s Deal or No Deal for another half an hour, before normal service was resumed, BBC and ITV1 sharing the peak throughout the evening programming.
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.