Good Start For Friday EastEnders
The BBC is claiming victory in the battle of the soaps after Friday night’s episode of Eastenders attracted over a million more viewers than ITV’s Coronation Street.
The fourth weekly offering of Eastenders, which aired for the first time at 8pm on Friday, attracted average 8.4 million viewers and 41% share, compared to an average 7.3 million viewers and 36% share for Coronation Street, according to unofficial overnight figures.
The ITV soap, which normally attracts around 11 million Friday night viewers, went head to head with Eastenders after being pushed back to make way for an hour-long episode of Emmerdale and was hit hard by the clash, with around 3 million viewers turning over.
Controller of BBC1, Lorraine Heggessey, said: “I’m thrilled that Eastenders audiences came and enjoyed our first Friday episode, after the Mel cliff-hanger I’m not suprised. Now that Eastenders has found its home on Fridays I’m sure it will go from strength to strength.”
The BBC hopes that its fourth weekly showing of Eastenders will lure viewers away from ITV after Coronation Street finishes at 8pm.
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