8m watch Two Ronnies return

The return of the two Ronnies to TV screens pulled in a huge audience last night (Friday), according to early figures.

New series The Two Ronnies Sketchbook averaged a hefty 7.9 million viewers - a 35.4% share of the audience - in the 9pm hour on BBC One.

The show easily beat ITV1's Friday night Bond movie GoldenEye, which had an average of 4.73 million (22.1%) between 8.30pm and 10.30pm.

Top programme of the night was Coronation Street on 11 million (52.1%), keeping EastEnders in second place with 10.25 million (47.5%). Emmerdale had 8.61 million (43.9%) for third.

A reality-themed episode of My Hero pulled in 5.8 million (26.6%) to BBC One at 8.30pm, while on BBC Two, Gardeners' World admitted 3.63 million (16.7%).

Sky One's 7pm episodes of The Simpsons ranked highest on multichannel, with audiences of 563,000 (4.5%) and 476,000 (3.5%) respectively. BBC Three's EastEnders repeat had 465,000 (3.6%) for third.

New episodes of American Idol attracted 430,000 (3%) and 389,000 (2.7%) from 8.30pm, while ITV3's continuing Foyle's War encore commanded 371,000 (2.7%) between 8.30pm and 10.30pm.

Ratings data supplied by ViewingFigures.com