Channel 4’s contrived ‘reality’ show Hunted falls to 1.3m
Last night saw Channel 4 air the second episode of its adrenaline-fuelled ‘reality’ show Hunted (9pm), as a new group, made up of two brothers, joined the cause to escape the clutch of the hunters and their extraordinary powers of overacting.
Tasked with spending 28 days on the run without getting caught by a super serious panel of experts – who sit around a darkened room, looking at intel monitors and spouting cringy dialogue while managing to come across like a New Tricks tribute act – Harinder and Davinder Singh from Leicester decided the best course of action would be to hang out with known associates.
After opening up with 1.7 million viewers last week, the second episode did see a fall in viewers as the seriously stretched credibility came even more into question – exactly how many camera angles can be shot simultaneously using a large production team a lone tag along camera man?
Last night’s adventure in silly format ideas brought in an audience of 1.3 million viewers, with scenes of the inevitable ‘capture’ resulting in a 7% share.
Things were a little calmer on BBC One as it was Anne Reid’s turn to cry for prime time glory in the latest instalment of Who Do You Think You Are? (9pm).
Last night’s dramatic trip down memory lane saw the actress travel to Scotland to learn that her distant relations liked a bit of a tipple, securing the 9pm slot with 4.3 million viewers and a 22% share.
Over on ITV, Stephen Fry in Central America (9pm) came to an end after four episodes, with the last leg of the epic jaunt seeing the presenter/novelist/comedian and actor travel from Costa Rica to Panama.
An audience of 1.6 million viewers tuned in to see Fry conquer volcanoes, survive white-water rivers and bond with a baby sloth, resulting in an 8% share.
At the same time BBC Two was dishing out the chuckles with two helpings of hilarity. At 9pm, Danny Baker’s 70s set East End sitcom Cradle to Grave brought in 1.6 million viewers and an 8% share while the continued adventures in trans-dating, Boy Meets Girl (9:30pm), netted 1 million viewers and a 5% share.
Chuckles were also on offer on Channel 5, although they were more of the point-and-laugh-at-the-mentally-ill variety, with last night’s taste of misguided stardom on Celebrity Big Brother bringing in 1.5 million viewers and a 7% share.
Earlier at 8pm, BBC One scored 4 million viewers and a 21% share for the latest Eat Well for Less? while BBC Two’s World’s Weirdest Events was watched by 1.4 million viewers and an 8% share.
[advert position=”left”]Over on ITV, the pain and suffering of Flockstars (8:30pm) finally came to an end after eight long episodes. 1.8 million viewers and a 10% share tuned in to see Gabby Logan released from her contract.
Channel 4 was looking at gentrifications at 8pm, as George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces looked at some pretty places, netting 1.5 million viewers and an 8% share, while Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole told a very different tale and brought in 774,000 viewers and a 4% share.
Even earlier, ITV won the day’s soap battle with a double onslaught of an hour-long Emmerdale (7pm) and a singular Coronation Street (8pm).
The hour of rural infighting brought in 5.6 million viewers, with scenes of Eric Pollard having a bit of a meltdown netting a 30% share.
Of course this had an extremely detrimental effect on poor old EastEnders (BBC One, 7:30pm) which saw Phil face the wrath of Sharon over the whole Kathy is alive scenario, resulting in just 4.5 million viewers and a 23% share.
But it was urban crime show Coronation Street that won Thursday’s top spot, with 6.6 million viewers tuning in to see the Platt family continue to implode, resulting in a 34% 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. 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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