BBC election coverage tops ratings

The BBC was the most-watched broadcaster last night for its coverage of the election results.

According to early data, BBC One's Election 2010 programme averaged 4.03m (30.7%) between 9.55pm and 2am, the cutoff point for overnight ratings.

ITV1's coverage drew 1.26m (9.6%) over the same period, while Sky News's election programme managed 332k between 9pm and 2am.

Simulcasts of the BBC's coverage on BBC News Channel and BBC HD averaged 942k and 64k respectively.

BBC One peaked with 5.84m (29.4%) at 10.50pm, while ITV1 peaked with 2.43m (10.5%) at 10pm. The top audience for Sky News was 514k (2.3%) at 10.05pm.

Channel 4's Alternative Election Night, hosted by David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker, delivered a decent 1.6m (9.8%) average from 9pm.

Earlier, Watchdog managed 3.89m (17.5%) for BBC One in the 8pm hour, then new episodes of QI and Outnumbered took 3.78m (16.6%) and 4.71m (20%).

ITV1's Greatest Cities of the World put in 3.42m (14.7%) in the 9pm hour, and on Channel 4 at 8pm, The Landscape Man interested 1.14m (5.1%).

Five's new series Britain's Greatest Machines launched with just 555k (2.5%) at 8pm, then a screening of The Contract appealed to 1.35m (6%).

Bill Oddie's Top 10 Frights and Delights brought in 1.74m (7.8%) to BBC Two in the 8pm hour, after which History Cold Case claimed 1.83m (7.9%).

Overall, BBC One ruled primetime with an average share of 23% to ITV1's 19.8%. Channel 4 was third with 7.5% (+1: 0.5%), followed by BBC Two with 7.2% and Five with 3.9%.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional