Disney Channel claims 'best summer ever'

The Disney Channel has recorded its highest ratings over the summer season.

The channel, which airs the UK TV premiere of High School Musical 2 on September 21, rated as the number one kids' channel in the 4-15-year-old age group.

With a share among kids between 4-15 years of 8.2% across cable and satellite homes, Disney Channel was the third most successful channel across the summer holidays, closing in on the top two of BBC One and ITV1.

The channel began start of the summer holidays with a 8.5% weekly share. This grew to 8.9% for its Wildcat Week on August 13, matching Disney Channel's previous record achieved when the first High School Musical premiered last September.

The summer holidays ended with channel recording a 9.2% weekly share, in the week it premiered The Suite Life Goes Hollywood, which gained an audience of over 260,000 kids.

Rob Gilby, managing director of Disney Channel UK, Scandinavia and emerging Markets, said: "In an age when kids have the luxury of so many sources of entertainment, we are thrilled that they are choosing to watch Disney Channel in their millions. In fact, over 5 million kids watched something across the Disney Channel multiplex at some point over the summer, which is nearly 60% of kids in the UK."