TV Viewing Summary W/E 22/03/98

ITV achieves the highest viewing share of the terrestrial channels this week with 32.8 % of the total share and BBC1 chasing with a respectable 29.7 %.

Coronation Street pulls in the crowds as usual, with an average audience figure of 16.59 million, once again pushing Eastenders into the doldrums with its average audience of 13.63 million. Again Eastenders is struggling to keep its audience awake, let alone on the edge of their seats. The only hero of the hour was once again Terry Hills, this week trying his luck in the bookies on an accumalator. I love a man who puts on a suit to place a bet, shame about his matrimonial prospects. Apart from that, the desperation of the script writers takes us one step closer to the return of Master Cotton.

Midsomer Murders returns for a three part series following the success of its initial pilot episode (just over 13 million). Featuring John Nettles, the show attracted an audience of 11.00 million, making it the top drama of the week. In the absence of anything substantial on the drama front for the BBC, Peak Practice comes in as the second most popular drama of the week (10.33 million). The BBC really could try a bit harder than the rather lame Dalziel & Pascoe (8.12 million).

Football provided Channel 5 with their highest audience of the week (2.90 million) when Chelsea played Real Betis at Stamford Bridge. Football also attracted a good audience for ITV when Manchester United played AS Monaco (9.54 million).

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Reviewer: Jim Sparkes

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