TV

BBC One threatens ITV1's Friday night stronghold

Published Saturday, Aug 6 2011, 11:44 BST | By Paul Millar | 6 comments

BBC One's primetime performance improved last night, coming close to breaking ITV1's Friday night stronghold.

During the 9pm hour, the channel's showings of My Family and Miranda amused 3.88m (19%) and 3.78m (17.7%), while critically acclaimed documentary series Someone's Daughter, Someone's Son began with just 2.44m (12%) for ITV1 (+1: 200k).

However, while ITV's soaps dipped in the 7pm hour, The One Show and The Good Cook failed to make up any ground, grabbing 2.94m (17.7%) and 2.58m (14%) respectively.

Dickinson's Real Deal, ITV's daytime antiques show thrust into primetime, was even less successful with a meagre 2.39m (11.7%) against BBC One's EastEnders.

Over on BBC Two, athletics coverage was seen by 1.48m (7.9%) between 6.30pm and 9.30pm. A repeat of Never Mind The Buzzcocks followed with 1.12m (5.6%) and The Rob Brydon Show held a steady 1.37m (7.4%) at 10pm.

Channel 4's Come Dine with Me and 8 Out of 10 Cats mustered 1.08m (5.3%) at 8pm (+1: 204k) and 1.28m (6.3%) at 9pm (+1: 352k), after which 1.47m (7.7%) tuned in for Alan Carr: Chatty Man at 9.30pm (+1: 327k) and 1.14m (8%) watched another Chris Moyles' Quiz Night (+1: 169k).

Elsewhere, Danger: Diggers at Work continued to sink on Channel 5, with 664k (3.3%) in the 8pm hour, before Castle drew 1.07m (5.3%) at 9pm and The Mentalist had 737k (4.2%).

Overall, ITV1 pipped BBC One in primetime, with 19.5% (+1: 0.6%) against 19.4%. BBC Two claimed third place with 7.7%, followed by Channel 4 with 5.5%, and Channel 5 with 3.6%.

America's Got Talent did well in multichannel homes, entertaining 671k (3.6%) on ITV2 at 9pm.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional