EastEnders’s burial leads a strong night for BBC One
Like all the best dramas throughout television history, Tuesday’s EastEnders (BBC One, 7:30pm) offered up some respite from the bitterly cold evening by spoiling vulnerable viewers to half an hour of much needed escapism.
Last night’s joyful events centred around the desolate funeral of serial sadistic woman-botherer Michael Moon, the latest character to be slaughtered in the confines of Albert Square – surely fictional London’s most undesirable neighbourhood (even taking into account the blood-stained Victorian streets of Whitechapel in Ripper Street).
An audience of 7.2 million viewers tuned in to watch Alfie mourn his cousin in the only way he knew how – running back into the arms of his ex-trouble and strife Kat. The star-crossed lovers cut a lonely figure as they were the only mourners at the burial, with EastEnders‘ most depressing funeral yet scoring a 31% share.
Without ITV’s bothersome double whammy of Coronation Street and I’m a Celebrity to put an end to the aspiring soap’s grand plans, EastEnders was free to soar to the top of last night’s viewing choice and secured the day’s biggest audience.
A little earlier on ITV, Emmerdale (7pm) continued to get used to the shadow being cast by its rival soap. Tuesday saw Rhona battle her demons head on when she was prescribed some antibiotics. 6.8 million viewers watched the vet – whose year has been far from boring – get a panic attract at the mere mention of pills (there’s some history there), netting a 31% share.
Straight afterwards on the same channel, the England team were ready to let the nation down for a second game in a row. Adrian Chiles was on hand at 7:30pm to tale us through the Live International Football (ITV) as England faced down old enemy Germany live from Wembley.
An average audience of 6.2 million viewers looked on in horror as Per Mertesacker scored the game’s only goal in the 39th minute, with England’s second friendly defeat in so many days resulting in a 26% share.
The football action overshadowed BBC One’s usually strong performer, Holby City (8pm), with 4.7 million viewers tuning in to see nurse consultant Chrissie leave after 12 years, securing a 19% share.
A bit later BBC One welcomed back the drama that ‘bravely’ dared to entertain an older audience, Last Tango in Halifax. Returning exactly a year after it first aired, the show about two widowers in their seventies who find love went down a storm with the type of people who don’t watch Hollyoaks.
While the first episode last year debuted with an overnight audience of 6.2 million viewers, the opening episode of the second series fell to 6 million and secured the 9pm slot with a 24% share.
Over on Channel 4, the sound of pas de chat and over excited chouros lines could be heard a mile off as The Sound of Musicals (9pm) once again delved into the murky world of London’s West End.
At times Britain’s answer to Broadway came across slightly more terrifying than Walford and the second episode in the series detailed the creative bankruptcy that is part and parcel of pitching new productions.
After last week’s exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory pulled in 1.2 million viewers, last night’s tale about creating a musical based on Happy Days (simply because people had heard of it before) netted just 722,000 viewers.
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