'Show Me The Funny' live final amuses nearly 2.5m

The live final of ITV's stand-up comedy talent search Show Me The Funny was seen by nearly 2.5m on Thursday evening, while Celebrity Big Brother continued to perform for Channel 5, the latest audience data has shown.

Show Me The Funny averaged 2.46m (10.9%) for ITV1 in the 9pm hour and 141k (0.8%) on +1, as Pat Monaghan was crowned champion after the final at the Hammersmith Apollo. The closing rating marked an upsurge for the talent show after it had previously struggled to break 2m viewers during its debut series.

Also in the 9pm slot, Torchwood: Miracle Day continued with 3.41m (14.7%) on BBC One, beating The Killing USA's rather dismal 990k (4.3%) on Channel 4, and 169k (0.9%) on timeshift.

Celebrity Big Brother stayed popular on Channel 5, pulling in 2.43m (13%) in the 10pm slot, before Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On The Side mustered 859k (8.4%).

Motorway Cops drove away with 4.08m (18.1%) on BBC One in the 8pm hour. A repeat of Our War grabbed 1.29m (9.9%) from 10.45pm, while Help! I Caught It Abroad was seen by 1.43m (12.5%) on ITV1.

On BBC Two, The Culture Show At The Edinburgh Festival mustered 490k (2.5%) from 7pm and Monty Halls' Great Irish Escape had 1.11m (4.9%) in the 8pm hour. A showing of The Duchess fetched 2.97m (13.6%) from 9pm and 118k (0.5%) on BBC HD.

Channel 4's Country House Rescue grabbed1.34m (5.9%) in the 8pm slot and 237k (1%) on +1. Undercover Boss USA fetched 770k (4.2%) from 10pm and 124k (1.3%) on timeshift.

How Do They Do It? quizzed 789k (3.8%) on Channel 5 in the 7pm hour. Croc Man interested 446k (2%) from 8pm and Cowboy Builders attracted 1.87m (8.1%) from 9pm.

Overall, BBC One edged primetime with 19.5% against ITV1's 18.5% (+1: 0.6%). BBC Two ranked in third with 8.3%, ahead of Channel 5's 6.2% and Channel 4's 4.6% (+1: 0.8%).

Elsewhere, supermarket-set comedy Trollied, starring Jane Horrocks, Mark Addy and Jason Watkins, amused 554k (2.4%) on Sky 1 from 9pm.

ITV4's live coverage of Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League draw with Hearts was enjoyed by 992k (4.5%) from 7.15pm. Lee Nelson's Well Good Show entertained 602k (3.6%) on BBC Three from 10.30pm.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional