Dirty Den’s Return Attracts Over 16 Million To EastEnders
More than 16 million viewers tuned in to BBC1 last night to see Dirty Den’s long-awaited return to EastEnders after a 14 year absence from the soap.
Unofficial overnight figures from BARB show that the much-hyped episode attracted an average of 16.2 million viewers and secured a massive 62% of the viewing public between 8pm and 8.30pm.
Audiences peaked at 16.8 million when Dirty Den returned with the words “ello princess” during the last few minutes of the episode, which focussed on the relationship between his adopted daughter and the son he never knew he had.
Last night’s highly publicised episode helped EastEnders to score an important victory over its fiercest rival, Coronation Street, which attracted 12.6 million viewers and secured a 48% audience share for ITV1 during the same peaktime slot.
The figures will be warmly welcomed by the BBC, which has revealed that Dirty Den’s return is part of a plan by scriptwriters to fight back against the continued success of Coronation Street. The BBC plans to screen the return of one of television’s most notorious villains over four nights this week in order to make the most of the intense public interest in the character.
EastEnders is credited with achieving the biggest soap audience of all time when more than 30 million viewers tuned in on Christmas Day 1986 to see Dirty Den present Angie with her divorce papers.
Earlier this month BBC1 scored a ratings victory with almost 11 million viewers tuning in to watch England’s 2-0 defeat of Liechtenstein. Unofficial overnight figures from BARB show that viewing for the match peaked at 10.9 million, with an average of 10.3 million watching between 7.30 and 10pm (see BBC Scores With Football Coverage).
BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk
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