BBC Two's 'Rome' falls to series low

BBC Two's big budget drama Rome fell to a series low of just three million viewers on Wednesday, early figures suggest.

The series, a co-pro with US network HBO, has steadily lost viewers week-on-week since its debut to 6.6 million (27.3%) a month ago.

Last night, the fifth episode averaged a disappointing 2.88 million (12%), but only in a relative sense: ratings are still around 50% up on the channel's usual average for the slot.

Once again ITV1 dominated every hour of primetime, beginning in the 7pm hour with respective audiences of 8.97 million (44.3%) and 10.64 million (48.6%) for soap double header Emmerdale and Coronation Street. BBC One's premiere of the hit BBC Three series Honey We're Killing the Kids had a respectable 3.39 million (16.1%) in the same slot.

The Bill arrested 7.14 million (30.6%) at 8pm against BBC One's 4.28 million (18.3%) for What Not to Wear - Have They Remembered? Channel 4 took 2.91 million (12.5%) on a River Cottage Road Trip while on BBC Two, Natural World interested 1.81 million (7.8%). Five averaged 1.05 million (4.5%) for topical doco The Hurricane That Drowned New Orleans.

I'm A Celebrity continued to pack a stellar punch at 9pm with an average of 9.22 million (39.8%) through 10.30pm. David Attenborough's Life in the Undergrowth lost almost 600,000 on last week's premiere to average 4.01 million (16.8%) for BBC One across the hour, while on Channel 4, Grand Designs slipped off to 1.9 million (8%). Five averaged 1.05 million (4.9%) for a Murder Prevention repeat through 11pm.

First-run Lost dominated the competition in multichannel homes, averaging 878,000 (12.3%) for E4 in the 11pm hour.

Sky One finished ahead for the night overall, beginning with 726,000 (4.9%) for The Simpsons in the 7pm hour. A new Stargate Atlantis had 683,000 (4.1%) at 8pm while Threshold held a steady 535,000 (3.1%) an hour later.

ITV2 peaked with 324,000 (2%) for The Xtra Factor: 24/7 in the 8pm hour, dropping slightly to 276,000 (1.6%) for My Teen's a Nightmare - I'm Moving Out at 9. Spinoff show I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here - NOW! closed off prime with 311,000 (3.1%).