TV Overnights: Strictly scores again for BBC in Saturday night top spot
BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing came top of the ratings for the third Saturday in a row, peaking at an impressive 11.5 million viewers, holding 42% of the audience share at 7.45pm.
Merlin followed Strictly on BBC One at 8.15pm picking up a healthy 6 million viewers and 23% of the audience share.
Strictly started at 7pm over on BBC One and held an average of 10.6 million viewers and 42% of the audience share. Over on ITV1 and ITV1 HD, The X-Factor kicked off at 8pm this week as contestants sang two songs for the first time, attracting 8 million viewers over both channels.
It did pick up however, as the hour and 45 minute show averaged 9.8 million viewers and 34% of the audience share.
Following The X-Factor in the 9.45pm slot was the latest episode of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, the show aired the latest 24 hour action in camp securing a total of 8.2 million viewers and 32% of the audience share.
Harry Hill’s two shows, You’ve Been Framed and Harry Hill’s TV Burp sat in the 7pm and 7.30pm slot’s leading up to the The X-Factor, attracting an average of 3.7 million and 4.6 million viewers for ITV1.
The X-Factor results show on Sunday night beat Strictly as the ITV1 programme hit 13 million viewers across the ITV1 (and ITV1 HD) channels when Janet was kicked out of the show at 8.45pm. Strictly peaked at 11.3 million viewers at 7.45pm revealing Anita Dobson as the latest casualty to leave the competition.
The Formula 1: Brazilian Grand Prix aired across Saturday and Sunday’s afternoon 3pm slots on BBC One, averaging 2.7 million viewers on Saturday and 4.8 million on Sunday with 27% of the audience share.
Channel 4’s Sunday night film St Trinian’s aired at 5.30pm and picked up 2.8 million viewers and almost 13% of audience share.
Sunday and Friday nights 9pm peak slots of I’m a Celebrity also fared well, Friday’s show hit an average of 8 million viewers as Sinitta was voted off. Sunday night’s battle for survival between Pat and Fatima resulted in radio DJ Pat Sharp being the third celebrity to leave the jungle, which brought in a high of 10.8 million viewers and 39% of the audience share for ITV.
Friday night’s soaps did well, ITV’s Emmerdale averaged 6.8 million viewers at 7pm followed by Coronation Street’s first episode averaging 7.9 million and it’s second averaging 8.2 million in its later slot of 8.30pm. Over on BBC One Eastenders 8pm slot picked up an average of 8.1 million viewers and 35% of the audience 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.