Attentional's ScreenWatch blog comments on viewing figures for UK TV content, using BARB overnight ratings.
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LATEST NEWS
Mentorn Media has retained the contract to make flagship BBC1 current affairs programme, Question Time, for another three years.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
The Exclusives is a new series from TwoFour which sees six aspiring journalists compete to win a job with one of Europe’s largest publishers. In the first episode the contestants report for duty at More! Magazine. An audience of 155,000 (0.7%) watched on ITV2 at 9pm, gaining a Performance Index of 27. A further 47,800 (0.3%) watched an hour later on ITV2+1.
Two Greedy Italians… Still Hungry came to the end of its four-part run on 
BBC2 at 8pm. The Fresh One series has followed the two chefs, Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo, on a gastronomic tour of their home country of Italy. A final audience of 1.6m (7%) watched, providing a Performance Index of 116.2. This brought the average to 1.3m (5.6%). Season 1 averaged audiences of 1.8m (8.3%).
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AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
All3Media is to launch a range of original content channels on YouTube. The super indie has already started running a style channel, a wine guide and a teen “fanzine”.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
24 Hours in A&E, the observational documentary series that looks at the work of the King’s College Hospital Accident & Emergency department, was back for a second season at 9pm on C4. The programme, from The Garden Productions, gained audiences averaging 2.6m (10.95%) on Channel 4 (Total) for the first season in 2011. The new season made a strong start with 2.4m (9.8%), and a Performance Index of 118.7 on the primary channel, with a further 471,075 (2.7%) watching on C4+1, giving another excellent Performance Index of 160.7.
Secret Eaters is a new six-part series that preceeded 24 Hours in A&E, at 8pm on C4. In this Endemol production, Anna Richardson presides as overweight families submit themselves to 24-hour surveillance n order for their eating habits to be scrutinised. The first programme pulled in 1.7m (7.7%), giving a Performance Index of 109.7. C4+1 piled on a further 219,400 (0.9%).
Lewis returned for a sixth series on ITV1 at 8pm. Kevin Whately again stars as the detective inspector who first appeared in Morse, with Laurence Fox starring as his seargeant. The ITV drama was watched by just under 5.2m (22.7%) on SD+HD, giving a Performance Index of 111.6.
Felicity Kendal’s Indian Shakespeare Quest was a documentary in which the actress returned to her thespian roots in India, and met the current stars of the Bollywood scene while investigating the country’s continuing love of Shakespeare. The programme, from Wavelength Films, was shown on BBC2 at 9pm, where it drew an audience of 771,660 (3.2%), and gained a Performance Index of 52.9.
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AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
Britney Spears has been confirmed as a judge on the next series of US X Factor. The lineup also includes LA Reid and teen star Demi Lovato.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
Silk, the legal drama from BBC Productions, was back on BBC1 at 9pm for a second season. The previous run of the drama, about the legal eagles at the Shoe Lane Chamber, attracted audiences averaging 4.9m (20.1%). Season 2 was judged a success by 5.6m (23.9%), gaining a Performance Index of 109.2.
Embarrassing Bodies: Live from the Clinic opened its doors on a second season, on C4 at 8pm. The Maverick series gathered audiences of 1.8m (8.3%) for its first outing, in 2011. The start of the second season attracted 2m (9.3%), giving a healthy Performance Index of 132, with a further 331,800 (1.4%) watching on C4+1, gaining a Performance Index of 124.4.
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AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
Channel 4 has reported a loss on its main channel six times greater than last year’s at £42.3m. However, its group profit was only slightly down because of an improved performance by its digital channels.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
Walking Dead returned to terrestrial television for its second season, at 10pm on C5, having previously aired in the UK on FX. The acclaimed zombie drama series from Circle of Confusion and Valhalla Films, starring British actor Andrew Lincoln, has been a ratings winner for cable channel AMC in the US. In the UK, the second season premieres on FX averaged 331,80o (1.7%), but this figure more than doubled to 776,400 (3.7%) with the final programme data – more than twice the benchmark Share. Season 1 on C5 was watched by 1.3m (6.8%) in a Sunday 10pm slot in spring 2011. Season 2 began at 10pm, and strolled off with an audience of 905,610 (5.6%), and a Performance Index of 85.8. A further 77,306 (0.9%) watched on C5+1, attracting a Performance Index of 126.7.
Secret Millionaire, the series that follows a very rich benefactor as he or she goes undercover to find those who deserve financial help, was back on C4 at 9pm. The RDF production averaged 1.7m (6.3%) for its previous season in 2011. The new run began with 1.3m (5.7%) and a Performance Index of 80.6, with a further 213,025 (1.2%) watching on C4+1, gaining a Performance Index of 101.2.
56Up, at 9pm on ITV1, brought us up to date with the group of individual who have allowed Michael Apted to catch up with them every seven years, to see how their lives have progressed. The ITV Studios production garnered an audience of 4.5m (19.2%) and a Performance Index of 139.3. The ITV1+1 audience added another 310,200 (1.8%).
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AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
Labour are piling pressure on the government with calls for culture secretary Jeremy Hunt’s handling of the £8bn BSkyB bid to be investigated to see whether or not he broke the ministerial code. It has also been hinted that a criminal investigation should take place, if it became apparent that News International had received information from Hunt’s office about the bid.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
Starlings began an eight-part run on Sky1 at 8pm. The new comedy drama, from Baby Cow productions, follows the lives of the Starling family in rural Derbyshire, starring Brendan Coyle and Lesley Sharp. An audience of 602,492 (2.5%), watched, gaining a Performance Index of 99.2.
All Star Family Fortunes, from Talkback Thames, came to the end of its eighth series on ITV1 at 6.30pm. The gameshow, hosted by Vernon Kay, saw families of two Coronation Street actors compete against one another to win money for their designated charity. An audience of 3.7m (18%) watched the final instalment, gaining a Performance Index of 75.5.
__________________________________________________________________
AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
FINALES
Britain’s Got Talent came to a climax on ITV1 at 7.30pm. The ten finalists each
performed for the last time, with Pudsey coming out as top dog, alongside his human handler Ashleigh. The pair pocketed this year’s prize of £500,000 and the chance to perform in front of the queen at the Royal Variety Show. The audience for the Syco/Talkback production averaged 11.4m (46.4%) over the course of the 150 minute duration, providing a Performance Index of 180.6. However, the peak audience was 13.8m (52.7%), a little below last year’s figure of 14.1m (55.4%) during the final live results show. The ITV1+1 audience added a further 496,203 (2.2%) to the total.
The Cube came to the end of its five-part run on ITV1. The previous series of the Objective gameshow format, in which contestants face a series of physical challenges to win cash prizes, drew audiences of just under 4m (15.2%). The latest season ended with an audience just under 3m (15.9%), and a Performance Index of 71.2. A further 88,655 (0.4%) watched on ITV1+1.
__________________________________________________________________
AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
Facebook has tested a system that lets users in New Zealand pay a fee to ensure that information they post on the social network is more visible to friends, family and colleagues.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
Episodes, from Crane Klarik/Hat Trick production, returned to BBC2 at 10pm for a second series. The US/UK comedy, which stars Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan as British comedy writers in LA for the production of a US version of their hit comedy averaged 1.3m (6.3%) for the first series, shown in 2011. The current run returned with an audience of 1.2m (6.3%), giving an above-average Performance Index of 116.5.
__________________________________________________________________
AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
National Geographic Channel International is creating a commissioning hub in London in an effort to revitalise its channel schedules worldwide through the creation of successful long-running formats. The initiative is being overseen by Hamish Mykura, C4′s former head of documentaries, who will be appointing five UK-based commissioners and schedulers.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
Prisoners of War, which made its UK debut on Sky Arts 1 at 9.30pm, is the Israeli drama series that inspired the recent US hit Homeland. The 10-part Keshet Broadcasting title focuses on two Israeli soldiers returning from a PoW camp in Lebanon, 17 years after their capture. The first episode (in Hebrew with subtitles) was watched by 16,500 (0.08%), a strong result in a slot with a 12-month average of 7,200 ( 0.03%).
Phil Spencer: Secret Agent returned to C4 for a second season at 8pm. The first season of the Raise the Roof series, in which Spencer offers advice on how to make homes more attractive to potential buyers, aired on weekdays in an 11am slot over a four-week period, where it averaged above-benchmark performances of 246,600 (4.2%). The new five-part peaktime season began with 1.3m (5.5%) viewers and a Performance Index of 77.7. The C4+1 audience built the total audience up to 1.5m
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AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
Canadian company eOne and UK indie Greenroom Entertainment have partnered to produce a cop drama series for DirecTV. This is the first original series commissioned by the US satellite broadcaster, and is an undercover cop drama starring British actress Thandie Newton.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
Gypsy Brides is a US version of the UK documentary series Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, and launched in the UK at 10pm on Discovery Real Time. The Firecracker Films series maintains the same format, starting with a look at the wedding preparations of Shyanne, whose dress apparently includes 14,000 crystals. The first programme drew a sparkling audience of 100,200 (0.6%), in a Wednesday slot that has averaged 17,500 (0.1%) on Discovery Real Time (Total) over the past 12 months.
Edward VIII: the Plot to Topple a King was a documentary from Blakeway that looked at the role of Cosmo Gordon Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the abdication crisis that gripped the British monarchy in 1936. The actor David Calder portrayed Lang in dramatised clips, and the programme, at 9pm on C4, attracted 1.5m loyal subjects (5.9%), gaining a Performance Index of 71.8. A further 165,467 (0.9%) watched an hour later on C4+1.
FINALES
Foxes Live: Wild in the City ended with the fourth visit at 8pm on C4. The Windfall Films series has involved viewers in trying to gain an idea of how many urban foxes reside in UK cities through a public census, and has given an insight into the life of these wild creatures. The final programme attracted 924,230 viewers (2.8%), and a below-par Performance Index of 45.2. The C4+1 audience added a further 111,733 (0.4%).
__________________________________________________________________
AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
LATEST NEWS
The BBC is planning a Christmas special of Neal Street’s period drama series Call the Midwife, to try and win back the title for top programme over the festive period, having lost out to ITV1′s Downton Abbey in 2011.
LAST NIGHT’S TV
The above table shows the single top performing title in each genre selected, based on BARB overnight data. Figures are for channel totals where applicable.
DEBUTS
Great Ormond Street, at 9pm on BBC2, is a new six-part documentary series that looks at the inner workings of the famous children’s hospital over the course of one year, focusing particularly on the oncology department. The Films of Record production drew 1.3m viewers (5.2%), gained a Performance Index of 85.6.
Cardinal Burns is a new six-part sketch show featuring the acclaimed comedy duo Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri-Burns. The Left Bank Pictures production is the first solo television project for the pair, and the launch, at 10.30pm on E4, tickled the fancy of 137,783 (0.9%), giving a below-par Performance Index of 66.8. A further 25,533 (0.4%) watched an hour later on E4+1.
The Ricky Gervais Show returned for a third season of comedy animation at 11.30pm on E4. The Media Rights Capital/Wildbrain Entertainment production attracted audiences averaging 228,400 (1.6%) for its second season on E4 (Total) in 2011, and also gained considerably when PVR viewing was added into the mix, raising the consolidated total to 367,600 (2.3%), in a slot with a benchmark Share of 1.85%. Season 3 started with 118,033 viewers (1.6%) on the primary channel, giving a Performance Index of 100.1. The E4+1 audience added a modest 18,033 (0.5%) to the total.
__________________________________________________________________
AQUA, our online ratings research tool at www.overnights.tv can give you 24/7 access to UK television ratings. Email us at hello@attentional.com for further information or a free trial.
