Wood wins ratings war for ITV1

ITV1 drama Housewife, 49, written by and starring Victoria Wood, managed an audience of 8.2 million and a 33.5% share at 9pm last night.

The two-hour wartime drama was well above the channel's slot average of 6.3 million for the year so far.

BBC One's Planet Earth took 6 million and a 22.3% share over its 60-minute slot at 9pm, slightly under the six-part series' average of 6.8 million.

5.8 million watched Zara Phillips being named Sports Personality of the Year earlier in the evening on BBC One. Despite putting on a much larger event by moving it from London to the Birmingham NEC, the show did not match year's audience of 8.3 million.

The ITV1 soaps also did well with Emmerdale managing 7.4 million viewers and a 31% share at 7pm, and Coronation Street achieving a 36% share and 9.3 million viewers at 7.30pm. Heartbeat kept ITV1 strong at 8pm with 7.8 million and a 28.7% share.