TV Overnights: British Soap Awards dominates the prime time ratings
ITV1’s British Soap Awards 2010 secured the highest ratings throughout the prime time slot last night with a peak audience of almost six million viewers.
More than 5.4 million average viewers tuned in to see their favourite soap characters take home trophies from the 12th annual ceremony, which was hosted by Phillip Schofield, securing a 24.8% audience share for ITV1 between 7.30pm and 10pm.
Winners from the night include Scott Malsen, winning ‘sexiest male’ for his character Jack Branning in Eastenders, while ‘sexiest female’ went to Michelle Keegan, who plays Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street.
BBC One’s Eastenders won the overall ‘best soap’ award, although ITV1’s Coronation Street took home six awards from the event. ITV1’s Emmerdale also won an award for the most ‘spectacular scene’, while Channel 4’s Hollyoaks went home empty-handed.
Last night, Emmerdale helped ITV1 to bank a peak run from 7pm onwards, pulling in more than 6.2 million average viewers and a 33.8% audience share between 7pm and 7.30pm, before the awards started.
BBC One’s Wednesday evening line-up failed to compete. Its pre-watershed hospital drama Holby City picked up 4.3 million average viewers and a 19.8% audience share between 8pm and 9pm, while Alan Sugar’s new Junior Apprentice pulled in just 3.8 million average viewers and a 16.5% share between 9pm and 10pm.
However, BBC One’s peak-hour show did manage to pip the remaining three terrestrial channels to second place in the all-important 9pm to 10pm ratings war.
BBC Two’s Monty Hall’s Great Hebridean Escape came a fairly close third with 2.1 million viewers and a 9.1% audience share. Five’s popular NCIS, meanwhile, just stole fourth place from Channel 4 with 1.8 million viewers and a 7.8% share, to Jamie Does Athens‘ 1.6 million and 6.9% 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.