Second BBC One series of Bake Off débuts with 9.3m
Wednesday evening saw the highly anticipated launch of the sixth series of the BBC’s unstoppable runaway hit The Great British Bake Off (BBC One, 8pm) as another pack of 12 determined contestants entered the tent of twee middle class dreams with their eyes set on baking dominance.
Despite having the reputation of being the nicest competitive reality show on TV, long-standing fans of the show know that tension (and sponge bases) can explode at any second, despite the calming plinkity plonk music cues and shots of cute woodland creatures littered throughout.
Last night’s opening episode was no exception as disaster struck a number of times as the fresh round of sacrificial bakers buckled under the soul-seeing glare of judges Marry Berry and Paul Hollywood.
The escapist show has been growing steadily in popularity since it debuted on BBC Two in August 2010 with a little over 2 million viewers. Things have changed considerably since then with fourth series opening up with 5.6 million viewers in 2013.
2014 saw the powers that be move the uniquely BBC Two show to the dizzying mainstream heights of BBC One, resulting in an audience of 7.2 million viewers for last year’s opening episode.
Yesterday saw this upward trend continue, with the second series to air on BBC One debuting with a staggering 9.3 million viewers, indicating that at least someone at BBC HQ is making the right decisions.
[advert position=”left”]This incredibly successful opening bodes well for the rest of the series, which traditionally increases in popularity as the surviving bakers hurdle towards the grand finale. In total, a 43% audience share tuned in to see the similar scenarios play out, enough to secure the 8pm slot for BBC One.
Elsewhere, not much could stand up to the might of Mel and Sue’s cake-based innuendos and it seems ITV didn’t even bother to try. 8pm saw just 2 million viewers tune in for the ‘very last’ episode of long-running miniseries Foyle’s War, with the two hour repeat from January of this year net a 10% share.
Over on BBC Two, Horizon was getting all bothered about The Trouble with Space Junk (8pm) which highlighted the increasing amount of debris floating around in the earth’s upper atmosphere. 1 million viewers tuned in to see that Sandra Bullock’s issues in Gravity were of genuine concern, netting a 5% share.
On Channel 4, it was time to pretend to be all thrifty again with a new instalment of Kirstie’s Fill Your House For Free (8pm) which netted 766,000 viewers and a 4% share.
On Channel 5, The Nightmare Neighbour Next Door (8pm) (no reflection of Kirstie) netted 1.6 million viewers and a 7% share.
BBC One also secured the 9pm slot with the winning combination of a top notch nature doc narrated by Olivia Coleman. Earth’s Natural Wonders (9pm) invited viewers to some of the most inhospitable places on the planet, all in stunning HD glory, and won over 4.5 million of us and a 23% share.
On BBC Two, the second part of Royal Mail doc Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Inside the Post Office (9pm) netted 771,000 viewers and a 4% share while trauma doc One Born Every Minute was watched by 1.3 million and a 7% share.
Of course, Channel 5 managed to launch yet another brand new programme based around welfare, with Undercover Benefits Cheat pulling in 1.8 million viewers and a 10% share.
Earlier at 7pm on ITV, Emmerdale was in full-on apocalyptic mode as the latest ratings grabbing plot-line fell straight from the sky and through the roof of the village hall in the dramatic shape of a helicopter. All because long-suffering residents in the dammed little hamlet decided to have a wedding.
6.5 million viewers tuned in to see the aftermath, in which at least one background character bit the dust, netting a 34% share.
Afterwards, Coronation Street (ITV, 7:30pm) won the day’s second biggest audience as 6.8 million viewers watched as Carla continued to feed the monkey on her shoulder (figuratively speaking, unfortunately), resulting in a 34% 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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