'Enders tops New Year's Day soap ratings

EastEnders pulled an impressive 11.6m viewers for its second New Year's Day episode yesterday evening, according to overnight figures.

The Walford soap's double bill, which featured Zainab's discovery that Syed is gay and Syed's marriage to Amira, pulled 9.78m (37.5%) and 11.64m (39.3%) at 6.10pm and 7.55pm respectively.

The first instalment peaked at 10.84m in the final five minutes, while the second reached a high of 12.34m between 8.20pm and 8.25pm.

BBC Three's repeats in the 70 minutes from 10pm added 685k (2.7%) and 873k (4.1%) respectively.

Meanwhile, over on ITV1, Coronation Street fared relatively well with its first two episodes of the year. The double bill, in which Becky and Steve came to blows over having children and Audrey enjoyed an evening with her escort Lewis, drew 8.55m (28.3%) and 9.79m (33.4%) at 7.30pm and 8.30pm respectively.

Emmerdale's screening averaged its highest audience over the Christmas and New Year period, logging 7.27m (24.9%).

Channel 4's latest edition of Hollyoaks remained below the million mark for the second day running, marginally edging yesterday's all-time low of 840k, taking 845k (3.1%) at 6.30pm.

E4's first look was seen by 446k (1.5%).

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional