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BBC's 9 out of 10 triumph in Christmas ratings battle

An animated dog and his Wensleydale-loving owner, the return of Albert Square villain "nasty" Nick Cotton and the spectacle of two Doctor Whos battling cybermen on the snow-covered streets of Victorian London helped the BBC record an emphatic victory in the traditional Christmas ratings battle. BBC1 had nine of the top 10 Christmas Day shows, with only ITV's one-hour Coronation Street special challenging its ascendancy. The latest adventures of Wallace & Gromit smashed viewing records, becoming the most-watched programme of the year with an audience of 14.3 million. BBC1 had a 34.2% audience share, twice that of its nearest rival ITV, throughout the day and 43.7% in peak time compared with ITV's 21.6% as TV audiences rose significantly on last year - a sign, perhaps, that fewer people ventured out as the nation endured a credit-crunch Christmas. The figures also provide further evidence that the appeal of mainstream channels remains undiminished despite competition from newer forms of entertainment, including videogames and the growing popularity of downloading films and TV shows over the web. The average total audience in peak time was 24.4 million, up from 23.8 million in 2007, said the BBC. The figure will rise when programmes recorded and those watched on catch-up services are added. A Matter of Loaf and Death, commissioned by the BBC, was one of the high points of the year for the corporation, with a 53% audience share. It was sandwiched between two episodes of EastEnders, the second of which was watched by 11.5 million viewers who witnessed a horrified Dot Cotton deal with the return of her wayward son, Nick. The second most popular show proved to be the latest Doctor Who Christmas special, which starred outgoing timelord David Tennant and David Morrissey, who is tipped to replace him. It was watched by 11.7 million viewers, althought that was fewer than the 12.2 million who saw Kylie Minogue play a waitress on the Titanic in last year's Christmas episode. Top of the Pops also made a successful return to the BBC, with 3.7 million tuning in at 2pm to watch a one-off Christmas show. The Queen's speech was watched by 6.4 million people on BBC1 and a further 1.8 million on ITV.The battle between BBC1 and ITV has become a one-way fight in recent years, with ITV conceding defeat before it even begins. This year, however, ITV bosses dusted off one of its most successful light entertainment shows, Dancing on Ice, screening a primetime Christmas special starring Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean against Wallace & Gromit and EastEnders in a bid to deny BBC1 an easy primetime victory. Although 5.2 million viewers watched, a 20.4% audience share, the tactic failed, and there was more disappointment for the country's biggest commercial broadcaster yesterday. Just 3.3 million people watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, its afternoon film, less than half those who watched the BBC's first helping of Wallace & Gromit film, the Curse of the Were-Rabbit, which was shown at the same time on BBC1. A series of voting controversies failed to tarnish the appeal of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, which recorded viewing figures of 8.6 million, a 35% share. BBC1's controller, Jay Hunt, said: "More than half of all people watching television tuned in to watch Wallace & Gromit's latest adventure. This is a phenomenal performance and one that confirms once again BBC1's position as the nation's favourite at Christmas." The top 10 Wallace & Gromit:A Matter of Loaf and Death14.3m viewers (53.3% share)Doctor Who 11.7m (50.5%)EastEnders (pt 2) 11.5m (44.9%)The Royle Family 10.0m (41.7%)EastEnders (part 1) 9.9m (40.6%)BBC News 9.5m (47.1%)Strictly Come Dancing 8.6m (35.0%)Coronation Street 7.4m (30.0%)Wallace & Gromit: The Curseof the Were-Rabbit 7.2m (39.8%)The Queen 6.4m (42.6%)BBCTelevisionguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2008 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Published: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:05:43 GMT - Source: Guardian.Co.Uk - Read the article

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Six G2 writers find out what can be picked up in that last minute Christmas present dash

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