TV Overnights: Variety kitsch and soap sleaze results in another winning night for ITV1
The relentless presence of Britain’s Got Talent (ITV1, 7pm) hasn’t dampered the nation’s appetite for the format with Thursday’s final semi-final securing the biggest audience of the day, the third time this week Simon Cowell’s show has come out on top. TV audiences seem to be lapping up the show while they can, with 8.7 million viewers turning out to see the talent’s last chance to get through to the endgame on Saturday. In a possible political move on Cowell’s behalf, The Voice of Ireland reject Ryan O’Shaughnessy was escorted through to the final, final round. Swim-suited energy bomb collective Aquabatique also made it through, helping capture 37% of the available audience over the 1.5 hour running time.
Meanwhile over on BBC One the residents of Walford were hit hard by the noisy distractions on the other side. It was business as usual on EastEnders (7:30) as dodgy Derek was distracted (from manipulating Carol and her family into staying in the grimmest place on Earth) by the presence of a mini stalker. It would appear that the BGT and The Voice UK rivalry has been a ruse all along, as ITV revealed their true plan in a 24-style twist. EastEnders has been the real target all along! As the talent show goes out in a prolonged blaze of glory, the soap has been missing around 2.5 million viewers all week. 5.8 million people tuned in to see Derek discover the little girl following him around is only a daughter he never knew about, making the flagship BBC One show now comparable to Emmerdale.
Over on Coronation Street at 9pm Tommy stumbled upon Tina lying unconscious and was manipulated by villain of the month Terry Duckworth into seeking vengeance against his enemies. This week’s shift to a later time slot hasn’t affected Corrie‘s popularity at all, with last night’s drama attracting 8.5 million viewers. Elsewhere on the cobbles poor old Sunita continued to be intoxicated with danger as she just couldn’t get enough of her friend with benefits, Karl. The secretive, intoxicating chemistry episode pulled in a 34% audience share.
Speaking of sweeping things under the carpet, The Hoarder Next Door (9pm) over on Channel 4 featured an actress (Tricia Ford – she was in Coronation Street for around two minutes in the 80s) who now spends her time sitting in her own filth amongst the rats. The troubling show features people who are too embarrassed to have friends in their home but have no problem inviting a TV crew and ghastly orange therapist Stelios Kiosses to preach the obvious. 2 million viewers watched as Tricia was cured by some good old fashioned attention. Not the good kind.
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.