TV Viewing Round-Up: September 2012

The second episode of the third series of Downton Abbey heads a list of returning favourites this month. Just under 12 million viewers tuned in to the edition of the popular period broadcast on 23rd September, which saw Mary and Dowager’s attempt to convince Mary’s grandmother Martha (Shirley Maclaine) to part with some of her Yankee dollars to save Downton.

Settling for silver position was the second boot camp episode of this year’s underperforming The X Factor. Just a fraction under 11 million viewers watched this year’s band of wannabes put through their paces at Liverpool’s Echo Arena, over one million viewers fewer than the corresponding episode last year.

With the last of my Olympic metaphors, the bronze ratings medal goes to the première episode of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. Around 9 million people saw the unveiling of this year’s contestants such as London 2012 stars Louis Smith, Victoria Pendleton, Ashes winning captain Michael Vaughan and ex-Emmerdale star Lisa Riley.

Somewhat ironically, well to me at least, the worst episode of the recent mini run of Doctor Who proves to be the most popular with the legions of Whovians. The third episode, titled A Town Called Mercy, featuring Pete from Gavin & Stacey as an extra-terrestrial medic with a dark secret, pulled in an audience of 8.4 million.

Channel 4’s coverage of the Paralympics 2012: Closing Ceremony AKA Coldplay @ Stratford, helped the station to its only appearance in the top programmes chart. 6 million watched the whole 4 hour celebration, which capped an end to the ‘Grand British Summer of Sport’ (trademark every media outlet).

A raft of new dramas feature on this month’s chart, with pride of place going to The Paradise. Arriving a month before ITV1’s similarly themed Mr Selfridge, the BBC One retail drama attracted 6.6 million viewers for its opening episode.

Elsewhere A Mother’s Son, starring ITV1 stalwarts Martin Clunes and Hermione Norris, launched with 5.8 million viewers. While the second edition of 1950’s detective drama The Bletchley Circle gave the commercial channel a rating of just under 5.3 million.

The rise of the phenomenon that is The Great British Bake Off gave BBC Two a rare entry into the top programmes list. The last elimination round before quarter final stage saw 5.1 million tuning in to see Sarah-Jane and Ryan eliminated after the previous week’s finger slicing drama.

Despite being a third showing of the first series, Mrs Brown’s Boys appears in this month’s chart (with 5.5 million viewers). Alex Kingston’s Who Do You Think You Are? pulled in just under 5 million viewers and England’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine had 5.7 million viewers.

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