Royal Variety Performance draws 8.7m

This year's Royal Variety Performance drew a peak of almost 8.7 million viewers last Wednesday, December 17.

The annual event averaged a healthy 7.5m (31.7%) for BBC One between 7.30pm and 10pm, pulling a peak of 8.66m (35.7%) at 9pm.

It comfortably beat ITV1's cop-themed competition. The Bill picked up 4.87m (20.3%) at 8pm, then Police, Camera, Action had 3.73m (15.7%) an hour later.

Coronation Street was the day's best performing programme, with 8.54m (37.2%) tuning in at 7.30pm. Emmerdale took second place with 7.15m (33.4%) at 7pm.

Christmas At River Cottage drew 2.04m (8.5%) to Channel 4 in the 8pm hour, with an additional 265k (1.3%) on Channel 4+1. On BBC Two, Rick Stein's Food Heroes interested 1.14m (4.8%) then Nigella's Christmas Kitchen concluded its three-episode run with 1.94m (8%).

The penultimate episode of Heroes volume three brought in 1.8m (7.5%) to BBC Two at 9pm, then spinoff show Heroes Unmasked kept 1.19m (5.1%). At 10pm, an impressive 989k (5.8%) tuned in for the volume finale on BBC Three.

Willie's Perfect Chocolate Christmas drew a reasonable 1.56m (6.6%) to Channel 4 in the 9pm hour and 105k (0.7%) on timeshift.

Five averaged 1.23m (5.3%) for coverage of the Uefa Cup game between Villa and Hamburg from 7.30pm.

Hollyoaks had 1.62m (7.8%) for Channel 4 at 6.30pm, then 740k (3.9%) for E4 at 7pm (+1: 135k, 0.6%). On Five, Neighbours had 1.47m (8.9%) and Home & Away had 1.03m (5.4%).

BBC One had the lead in primetime with an average share of 29.6% (last week: 14.7%) to ITV1's 21% (24.4%). Channel 4 took third with 6.6% (6.9%), followed by BBC Two on 5.8% (8.3%) and Five on 4.7% (4.3%).

A repeat of Doctor Who brought in 481k (2.3%) to BBC Three from 8pm, outdoing the 369k (1.8%) for ITV2's Xtra Factor: Best and Worst at the same time.

ITV2 gained the lead at 9pm, however, with a screening of Pretty Woman. The film pulled in 538k (3.2%) from 9pm, with a further 118k (1.1%) on ITV2+1.

Ratings data supplied by Attentional