'Macbeth' falters as ITV1 walks away with victory

Macbeth

BBC One's latest Shakespeare adaptation failed to engage viewers last night (Monday), according to early figures.

A modern day version of Macbeth - set in a top restaurant - pulled in an average of just 3.36 million (13.9%) between 8.30pm and 10pm, finishing fourteenth for the day. The figure is down from the 4.6 million (18.6%) who saw the first adaptation, Much Ado About Nothing, in the same slot last week.

The show was trumped by the first half of new Tamzin Outhwaite drama Walk Away and I Stumble, which managed 7.93 million (35.1%) between 9pm and 10.30pm.

Meanwhile, EastEnders kept hold of the soaps ratings crown with an audience of 12.15 million (50.2%) at 8pm. The 7.30pm and 8.30pm episodes of Coronation Street followed with respective audiences of 11.87 million (52.1%) and 11.39 million (44.4%) while Emmerdale had 9.67 million (45.4%) for fourth.

The remaining terrestrials each had their own share of success throughout primetime. At 8pm, Dubai Dreams brought in 1.81 million (7.5%) to BBC Two before ratings rose to 2.61 million (10.2%) for University Challenge. Five had 1.03 million (4.1%) for Fifth Gear while on Channel 4, Priest Idol got off to an unholy start with 0.97 million (3.9%).

Five took the lead at 9pm with real-life doc The Woman with Half a Body: Extraordinary People, which had 2.32 million (9.9%). BBC Two began with 2.11 million (8.8%) for Never Mind the Buzzcocks then dropped off to 1.49 million (6.5%) with Broken News. Channel 4 drama The Somme averaged an admirable 2 million (9.9%) through 11.10pm.

A diet of Malcolm in the Middle and The Simpsons kept Sky One on top amongst the multichannels early in prime.

A first-run Hollyoaks was the day's most-watched original show, averaging 366,000 (2.5%) at 7pm. Spinoff show Hollyoaks: Let Loose fared less well later in the evening, dropping to just 118,000 (0.7%) in the 9pm hour.

A repeat of ITV's Best Ever Ads put in 331,000 (2%) for ITV2 at 9pm, narrowly ahead of Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns on Living TV, which managed 304,000 (1.8%).