Minghella’s Swan Song Attracts Over 6.2 Million

The late Anthony Minghella’s adaptation of the novel The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency managed to attract over 6.2 million adults to BBC One on Sunday night.

The programme gave the channel a 28.1% audience share between 9pm and 10.30pm, easily beating the first part of ITV1’s new drama, He Kills Coppers.

Set in London in 1966, when England was gripped with World Cup Fever, the show was watched by over 3.6 million, giving the channel a 15.5% viewing share.

Earlier, the final instalment of Lark Rise to Candleford, the ten-part adaptation of Flora Thompson’s magical memoir of her Oxfordshire childhood, took over 5.8 million adult viewers (24.8%).

Over on ITV1, heart-warming ’60s police drama, Heartbeat, was enjoyed by almost 5.7 million, equating to a 24.2% share.

On Saturday evening, Ant and Dec’s variety show, Saturday Night Takeaway, managed to beat the search for a new West End Star, I’d Do Anything.

The cheeky Geordie duo gained over 5.8 million adult viewers for ITV1 – a 28.9% audience share between 7pm and 8.30pm – whilst the hunt for the final Nancys and Olivers pulled in almost 5.1 million (25.4%).

Following on from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new project was medial drama Casualty, which was the most watched programme of the night with over 6.3 million adult viewers (29.5%).

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, ITV2 and Sky One.

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk ITV: 020 7843 8000 www.itv.com