'Emmerdale' knocks 'Enders to 5.5m

EastEnders lost out yet again in another head-to-head clash with Emmerdale on Tuesday night.

An hour-long edition of the ITV1 soap was the most-watched programme of the day, with 6.52m (31.3%) in the 7pm hour. EastEnders, which began half an hour later, drew just 5.53m (25.6%) over 30 minutes. During the head-to-head period, ITV1 was comfortably out in front with an average of 6.34m (29.3%).

As a result of the scheduling clash, BBC Three's 10pm repeat of EastEnders had a larger audience than usual, with 1.07m (6.4%).

BBC One claimed the lead at 8pm, drawing 4.77m (21.8%) for its latest Big Cat Live update. A nurses special of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? had 4.33m (19.7%) for ITV1 at the same time. Channel 4 informed 1.93m (8.8%) with The Sex Education Show and on BBC Two, new clothes-swapping series Twiggy's Frock Exchange began with 1.84m (8.4%). Five was in last place with 1.38m (6.3%) for a repeat of documentary Curse of the Titanic: Revealed.

BBC One stayed ahead at 9pm with Sunshine, a new comedy drama starring Steve Coogan and Craig Cash. It pulled in 3.67m (16.7%), up slightly on last week's Mutual Friends finale but only just ahead of the 3.55m (16.2%) audience for ITV1's Cops With Cameras. On Channel 4, Jamie's Ministry Of Food logged 3.14m (14.3%) and Five's CSI: Miami put in 2.62m (11.9%). As usual, BBC Two was a distant fifth place with just 1.02m (4.6%) for new fashion series British Style Genius.

At 10pm, CSI: New York brought in 1.83m (10.7%) for Five, keeping the channel ahead of Channel 4, which managed 1.77m (10.7%) for the second episode of Dawn Porter: Mail Order Bride.

Overall, ITV1 was ahead in primetime with an average 20.7% share to BBC One's 19.7%. Channel 4 had 9.8% for third, followed by Five on 7.7% and BBC Two on 6.7%.

ITV2's Tuesday night movie Coyote Ugly had a healthy 482,000 (2.5%) between 8pm and 10pm. E4's Hollyoaks pulled in 708,000 (4.1%) at 7pm and Fiver's Home & Away notched up 574,000 (3.5%) at 6.30pm.

Other popular multichannel offerings included Stargate Atlantis, with 413,000 (2.2%) for Sky1 at 8pm, and Jack Dee Live At The Apollo, seen by 422,000 (2.5%) on Dave from 9.40pm.

Ratings data supplied by Attentional