Huge audience for 'Only Fools' spinoff

More than 9 million viewers turned out for the first episode of The Green Green Grass yesterday, early overnights indicate.

The Only Fools spinoff, which follows Boycie and family as they start a new life in the country, averaged 9.13 million (41.7%) from 8.30pm, taking a third place ranking for the day.

The return of Barbara Windsor kept EastEnders ahead of Coronation Street with respective audiences of 9.96 million (46.9%) and 9.79 million (48.7%). Emmerdale had to settle for fourth with a distant 7.8 million (42.9%).

Elsewhere, ITV1's presentation of Lethal Weapon 4 managed a respectable 3.88 million (19.4%) from 9pm while on BBC Two, new adaptation Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky began strongly with 2.83 million (13.5%).

Multichannel had a lacklustre night, dominated mostly by repeats, including ITV3's Inspector Wexford, with 343,000 (2.7%) from 9.10pm.

With 334,000 (2.3%), Living TV's new CSI was the day's second most-watched original show, behind only a first-run Hollyoaks (363,000, 3%).

Other highs included the two-hour finale of The Rebel Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best, with 298,000 (2.1%) for ITV2, and E4 movie She's All That, seen by 237,000 (1.8%) from 9pm.