BBC One’s latest prime time workplace doc bags just 2.2m
In all of the depressing and low-rent places to be given the irreverent documentary treatment by lazy producers so far, the dusty bookies of yesteryear have, miraculously, managed to escape the glare of prime time TV.
In the past few years viewers have been offered up real-life drunken chicken shop antics, intoxicated night bus fun, anxious patients in A&E and wailing mothers-to-be by rigging most of the country with cameras in order to make sure that every aspect of British life is broadcast-ready.
Even more surprisingly, the three part series Britain at the Bookies (9pm) wasn’t even a Channel 4 joint – apparently BBC One hasn’t been immune to jumping on board the schedule-filling and mutually beneficial game.
Following on from producing recent light and frothy propaganda pieces for KFC and NatWest, last night was Coral’s turn for the marketing exercise as the 89 year old bookmaker was struggling to keep up with innovations and intense competition in the industry.
Despite being on BBC One, Britain at the Bookies only managed a Channel 4-sized audience with just 2.2 million viewers and an11 % share tuning in to meet the host of ‘interesting’ characters that hang out at the bookies all day.
Meanwhile, instead of the forgotten interiors of bookies, ITV was offering up a host of fresh-faced Rookies at 9pm, with the documentary about new police recruits securing the 9pm slot for the second week in a row after last week’s opening episode netted 3.2 million viewers.
Yesterday saw each of the trainees falter slightly a few weeks into the job and managed to attract the exact same audience, with 3.2 million viewers and a 16% share.
On BBC Two, it was time for celebration with Cake Bakers and Trouble Makers: Lucy Worsley’s 100 Years of the WI (9:30pm) which was watched by 1.4 million viewers and a 7% share.
In a completely different neck of the woods, the televisual sadness of How to Get a Council House (9pm) continued, with 1.6 million viewers and an 8% share tuning in to Channel 4.
Up afterwards was a concoction of complete silliness as ‘reality’ show Lookalikes (Channel 4, 10pm) invited viewers to spend some time in Brighton’s premier lookalikes agency – because what the world needs now is more scripted reality shows.
[advert position=”left”]1.1 million viewers tuned in to find out that Will Smith and Gordon Ramsay quit David Beckham’s strip troupe, netting a 6% share.
Earlier in the day, Channel 5 presented some Monday night escapism in the form of Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild (8pm), in which the posh adventurer met up with an ex city boy who fled to Southeast Asia to build a bamboo house.
The show was very similar to the recent Kevin McCloud’s Escape to the Wild (Channel 4) but with Brand Fogle front and centre of events, there was certainly 100% more sweaty torso on offer.
1.3 million viewers tuned in to see Ben do manly things like ‘extreme’ fishing and grunt-sponsored digging, netting a 6% share.
In the same slot Channel 4 delivered a double whammy of consumer fun with Supershoppers at 8pm securing 1.5 million viewers, while Superfoods: The Real Story at 8:30pm was watched by 1.6 million viewers.
It was all about the smarts on BBC Two as University Challenge (8:30pm) brought in 2.5 million, while Only Connect was watched by 2.2 million viewers. Sandwiched in between soaps on ITV was Vet School (8pm) with the sickly critters helping secure 2.9 million viewers and a 13% share.
Even earlier at 7pm, 5.9 million viewers watched as troubled village sauce pot Laurel locked lips with Marlon, with Emmerdale (ITV) bagging a 30% share.
At 8pm on BBC One, poor little Ben Mitchell was in trouble with the law once again as EastEnders delivered another dose of Monday happiness. 6.2 million viewers watched as the Heather-slayer was wrongfully questioned for Lucy’s murder, resulting in a 29% share.
A double showing of Coronation Street (ITV) resulted in Monday’s top two shows as some bloke from The Bill held Leanne, Liz and devil child Simon hostage just because they had to fill up two episodes.
7 million viewers and a 33% share tuned in at 7:30pm, followed by a slightly higher audience at 8:30pm, growing to 7.1 million viewers (a 33% share) as the action intensified.
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. Overnight data supplied by TRP are based on 15 minute slot averages. This may differ from tape checked figures, which are based on a programme’s actual start and end time.
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