'Spooks' ends run with 5.5 million

The eighth series of Spooks bowed out last Wednesday (23rd) with a strong 5.46m (23.3%) for BBC One.

The spy drama comfortably won the 9pm hour, seeing off ITV1's screening of movie sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason, which put in 3.16m (14.4%) over two hours.

BBC Two's The Grumpy Guide To Christmas appealed to 3.17m (13.5%) and on Channel 4, the final episode of The Family picked up 1.91m (8.1%).

Five's countdown of the Greatest Christmas Comedy Moments averaged an impressive 1.47m (8%) over three hours.

Waterloo Road won the 8pm hour for BBC One, drawing 4.46m (19.8%), and on ITV1, music special The Nolans: In The Mood For Dancing mustered 3.33m (14.8%).

River Cottage Heroes grabbed 2.24m (9.9%) for Channel 4 in the hour, while Five's Giant Snake Invasion With Nigel Marven took 783k (3.5%).

TOTP2 Xmas 2009 put in a healthy 3.35m (15.3%) for BBC Two between 7.30pm and 9pm.

Overall, BBC One averaged 21% in primetime, topping ITV1's 17.6%. BBC Two was third with 12.8%, followed by Channel 4 with 6.7% (+1: 0.8%) and Five with 4.4%.

BBC Three's screening of Shanghai Noon topped the multichannel ratings for the day, averaging 773k (3.6%) from 8pm. Meanwhile, ITV2 found success with a screening of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which put in 529k (2.9%) from 9pm.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional