Mr Selfridge’s return trashed by BBC One’s night of drama
Sunday evening saw the top broadcasters bring out their heavy-hitting period dramas as the return of ITV’s Mr Selfridge (9pm) had to contend with those dotty birthing professionals on BBC One’s Call the Midwife (8pm).
Ten months since last appearing on UK screens, Jeremy Piven and his toothy smile were back as Mr Selfridge once again opened up the doors to his department store allowing a waft of drama, romance, period costumes and general hysterics to come rushing through.
The third series of the capitalistic drama opened up with an unusually grim Harry Selfridge burying his beloved wife Rose. But not to worry – it wasn’t long before all the doom and gloom was dispensed with as the story skipped ahead six months to a very Downton-y wedding as the shopping entrepreneur’s daughter got hitched to Russian royalty.
4.6 million viewers tuned in last March to see Harry receive some sad news from his sick wife, with only 3.4 million viewers returning last night to discover Rose’s fate. With stiff competition from BBC One, the return of ITV’s lavish drama only managed a 14% share in the prime time spot.
More willing to embrace tragedy was BBC One’s 9pm option, Last Tango in Halifax, as the third series of late-in-life love continued.
Proving slightly more popular with the lady folk (who made up 63% of last night’s audience) the tale of Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid’s blissful union being destroyed by their extended families has constantly brought in impressive audience for BBC One, with last night no exception.
6.3 million viewers were watching yesterday as the couple’s children – and all their ‘modern’ hang up s- continued to provide some drama for the loved up septuagenarians, resulting in a 26% share.
Over on BBC Two it was time for Dragon’s Den (9pm), with the format that keeps on giving, throwing up pitches for a sandwich board, grass friendly stilettos and male leggings. Teh show netted 2.5 million viewers and a 10% share.
Meanwhile on Channel 4, after seven months of walking, uncountable tour guides and even one tragic death, Levison Wood finally completed his treacherous journey along the world’s most famous river.
The fourth and final episode of Walking the Nile (9pm) saw Levison enter Egypt amid armed security and some very sore feet. A total audience of 1.9 million viewers watched as the ex-paratrooper completed the source-to-sea journey, bagging an 8% share.
On Channel 5 Celebrity Big Brother (9pm) saw screeching demon Perez Hilton pretend to walk out of the navel gazing HQ, resulting in the show topping the Twitter TV chart for yet another day. 2.4 million viewers got their last fix of venomous socialising for the week, resulting in a 10% share for the channel.
A little earlier, mammoth Sunday vehicle Call the Midwife (BBC One, 8pm) guaranteed the weekend’s biggest ratings, as the second episode of the fourth series saw a terrifying new nurse called Phyllis join the team.
A whopping 9 million viewers tuned in to visit a simpler time, with the other new midwife Barbara still struggling to find her feet, netting a 35% share.
Also doing very well was the latest episode of Top Gear (8pm) over on BBC Two. 5.3 million viewers tuned in to see the trio of BFF presenters continue their tradition of featuring the most random celebrities to come join them as they lived out their masculine auto mobile fantasies.
The sight of musician Ed Sheeran’s mug in a racing helmet (he can’t even drive) secured a 20% share for the channel.
BBC One’s highly successful Sunday kicked off a little earlier with Countryfile netting 7.6 million viewers at 6:30pm followed by the latest Still Open All Hours at 7:30pm which was watched by 7.9 million viewers, suggesting that nostalgia and tradition are the only way to go when it comes to Sunday’s schedule.
Going even further back, Saturday evening brought all the glitz and glamour you’d expect from the crème de la crème of light entertainment. The Voice UK (BBC One, 7pm) was the evening’s shiny beacon of fresh talent and scripted banter, securing over 8 million viewers for its hour and a half running time.
The third episode of the current series saw the four randomly selected judges (Tom Jones, Will.i.am, Ricky Wilson and Rita Ora) continue the popular blind auditions round, resulting in a 38% share.
ITV’s defence came in the form of Harry Hill’s Stars in Their Eyes which is cringy even for Hill’s standards. Regardless, over 2 million and a 10% share tuned in.
Afterwards, the orange horror of Take Me Out and Paddy McGuinness performed reasonably well, netting 3 million viewers and a 14% share.
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 and key multi-channel stations. Overnight data supplied by TRP are based on 15 minute slot averages. This may differ from tape checked figures, which are based on a programme’s actual start and end time.
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