Kaplinsky draws 1m for Five News

Natasha Kaplinksy's first Five News appearance last night nearly doubled the bulletin's teatime audience.

The strong performance came as the broadcaster welcomed good viewing figures across several of its channels last week.

The 1m total for Five News With Natasha Kaplinsky at 5pm was an 8% share and, according to Five, compares to a 550,000 (4%) average for its 5.30pm bulletin in 2007. It has moved to make way for Neighbours which started on Five last week.

The second news bulletin, at 7pm, was watched by 400,000 (2%), which Five said was 40% more than the slot average for last year. It beat 300,000 (1%) for Five's 7pm bulletin last Monday but was half the audience of 800,000 (3%) for Channel 4's news at the same time last night.

The news relaunch comes straight after one of the best weeks ever for Five and as Neighbours strengthens the channel's teatime line-up. Five's overall share last week, at 6%, was its best since December 2006.

It was fuelled by a 2.1m average for the soap at 5.30pm and 986,000 in its lunchtime slot.

Five was also bolstered by CSI on Tuesday (12th), taking 3.8m (16%), while its tied-in Without A Trace brought the biggest ever audience to Five US. It helped the channel make its largest ever weekly share of 0.83% as Five Life also took its record weekly average of 0.57%.

> Click here for Five News editor David Kermode on the relaunch