I’m A Celebrity Proves A Ratings Winner For ITV1

Almost 11 million people tuned in to ITV1 last night for the first episode of the new series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, suggesting that reality TV is still a sure-fire ratings winner.

According to unofficial overnight figures from BARB, the show gained an average audience of 10 million viewers between 9pm to 10.30pm, with 41% of the available audience tuning in to watch a host of minor celebrities spend their first night in the jungle.

The show beat off competition from BBC1’s new crime drama, Murphy’s Law, which drew an average audience of 5.8 million and the World Snooker Championships on BBC2, which attracted an average of 2.2 million viewers.

Channel 4’s documentary about the Sars virus gained an audience of 1.5 million, which was matched by Channel Five’s timely scheduling of Outbreak, a film about the race to wipe out a killer virus which threatens the planet.

The new series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here also netted an above average audience for ITV2. Last night’s spin-off show, which began at 10.30pm, drew over 1 million viewers to the channel, providing it with a 13.4% share of viewing in multi-channel homes.

The first series of the reality-TV show, which was responsible for veteran DJ Tony Blackburn’s return to the limelight, proved a surprise success for ITV1, achieving an audience of almost 11 million viewers at its peak in September.

Earlier this month Granada Enterprises secured V Energy Drink as the £1 million broadcast sponsor of this year’s I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (see Granada Brings Energy To I’m A Celebrity Reality Show) and Ask Jeeves as the sponsor of a new dedicated website for the show (see Granada Secures Asks Jeeves For Celebrity Sponsorship).

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