Overnights: ITV1’s new crime show pips BBC One to the top spot

ITV1’s new six-part Car Crime UK series, which started alongside BBC One’s new prime time crime series, The Truth About Crime, just managed to pip its rival the top spot last night.

BBC One’s crime documentary had a promising start when the two new rival programmes came head-to-head, attracting 3.1 million peak viewers, but lost out to ITV1 in the final 45 minutes of the 9pm to 10pm peak-hour.

Car Crime UK pulled in an average of 3.1 million viewers and a 14.2% audience share compared to The Truth About Crime‘s 3 million average viewers and slightly lower 13.5% share.

The three remaining terrestrial channels didn’t come far behind in the peak-hour ratings war – however, Five’s ever-popular CSI: Miami managed to secure third place with a high of over 2.6 million viewers and a 11.3% share.

Meanwhile, BBC Two’s new drama Desperate Romantics, starring Rafe Spall, Samuel Barnett and Tom Hollander, attracted a respectable 2.7 million peak viewers and a 11% average audience share.

Channel 4’s Big Brother slipped down to fifth place in the peak-hour with an average of 2.2 million viewers and a 10% average share.

Earlier on in the evening, Eastenders‘ kick-started BBC One’s peak run with a high of more than 8 million viewers and an impressive 39.4% audience share.

Holby City followed with 5.4 million viewers and a 24.4% share, beating ITV1’s new Send in the Dogs documentary series to the highest ratings during the pre-prime time slot.

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.