TV Overnights: Big Brother’s finale nets 2m viewers for Channel 5
Channel 5 witnessed a pretty impressive above average start to the week with their late night line-up yesterday as a modest but consistent ratings draw came to a close and the latest buzz-producing American import was ushered in.
After nine long weeks, it was time for the original reality show to remind us it was actually still on air as Big Brother finally came to an end.
An average audience of 2 million viewers tuned in for the first round of housemate banishment at 9pm as host Emma Willis air-kissed make-up caked wannabes into obscurity as if her career depended on it. The first bout of harsh character disposal secured a 9% share.
Up next was the small screen adaptation of Stephen King’s Under the Dome (Channel 5, 10pm) – a small town political and social allegory screaming for the edgy American cable treatment. Instead the mini-series was picked up by broadcaster CBS – who like to appeal to as broad a market as possible – so the small town of Chester’s Mill was littered with the exceptionally photogenic and terminally preppy.
The American soap buffer may have diminished a lot of the potential for a truly great series but there was enough of King’s original severe tone to bring in 1.8 million viewers (an 11% share), with another 189,000 watching an hour later.
10:55pm gave viewers another 50 minutes of ‘best bits’ and awkward interviews as someone named Sam Evans was crowned this year’s least worst person in Big Brother: The Final (simply because he looks a little like Harry Styles). 1.5 million brave souls made it through to the bitter finish, netting an impressive 14% share. But fans of tabloid fodder TV need not worry – the celebrity version of the seemingly ever-present show will be with us any day now.
Elsewhere in the realms of prime time, former serious news person – now just a general Professional Personality – Natasha Kaplinsky darted about the country and kindly spent some moments with deserving people. The People’s Medal (ITV, 9pm) detailed the selection process for the royal British Empire Medal and highlighted a host of worthy nominees. The forced feel good fun attracted 1.5 million viewers and a 7% share.
But it was a repeat of the incurably grinding detective show, Death in Paradise (BBC One, 9pm) that won over the prime time audience. Surely a sign of the incoming apocalypse when the nation tunes in for a repeat of Ben Miller’s detective show en masse.
Although, in fairness, it could have been the mere idea of getting to see Jamelia die all over again as 3 million viewers tuned in for the latest picturesque carnage, securing a 14% share.
Channel 4’s biggest hit of the day came in the unshapely form of Benefits Britain 1949 as a number of unemployed people cried with frustration for the nation’s entertainment, netting 1.6 million viewers and a 7% share.
Emmerdale (ITV, 7pm) was the first soap of the trap and brought in 6.5 million viewers. Over on BBC One at 8pm the never ending tale of ordinary folk shouting at each other continued on EastEnders. The latest drama from Albert Square (of which there is a lot) brought in BBC One’s biggest audience with 6.9 million viewers.
As is usual for Monday, the top four spots were claimed by the soaps with a double helping of Coronation Street taking gold and silver. Last night saw the Manchester soap work through its latest ‘issues’ based story line as supposed racist Paul defended Lloyd from a group of proper racists, or something.
7.9 million viewers caught up with the first episode, with 7.7 million coming back for more at 8:30pm.
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.