New-look 'X Factor' returns with 11.3m viewers

The X Factor returned with a bang last night as an average of 11.3m tuned in, the latest overnight data reveals.

Introducing new judges Gary Barlow, Tulisa Contostavlos and Kelly Rowland, the eighth series of the talent show launched with 10.8m (45.7%), as well as a further 504k on ITV1 +1.

While slightly below the average of last year's record-breaking opener, this year's X Factor premiere peaked with a hefty 12.6m (51%) at 9pm.

Caroline Flack's The Xtra Factor, meanwhile, got off to a respectable start on ITV2, with 1.17m (5.4%) at 9.15pm (+1: 260k), making it the most-watched multichannel broadcast of the evening.

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Celebrity Big Brother held on to 2.74m (12.1%) for Channel 5 from 9.15pm, though just 159k (0.9%) joined Emma Willis on 5* for Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side.

Being sandwiched between alpha male drama repeats would not have helped Celebrity Big Brother, as NCIS took just 657k (2.7%) at 8.05pm and Law & Order: SVU interested 926k (5.2%) from 10.15pm.

Over on ITV1 though, The X Factor was complemented by You've Been Framed, which kicked the night off with 3.53m (20.9%) at 6.30pm (+1: 212k), All Star Family Fortunes which started a new run with 5.63m (28.8%) at 7pm (+1: 162k) and a soap star special of Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire? which logged 4.31m (19.4%) at 9.15pm (+1: 186k).

BBC One's night was far more low key, as 3.2m (17.1%) watched National Treasures: Book of Secrets from 6.20pm until 8pm, then The National Lottery: In It To Win It entertained 3.53m (16.1%), before Casualty and John Bishop's Britain slipped to 4.18m (17.5%) and 3.37m (15.2%) respectively.

Elsewhere, Die Hard saved Channel 4's blushes as 1.47m (7.3%) tuned in to the action thriller between 9pm and 11.30pm, while BBC Two's Proms coverage averaged 569k (2.6%) between 9pm and 11pm.

Overall, ITV1 topped primetime with 29.5% (+1: 1.3%), ahead of BBC One's 18%. For the third time in a row Channel 5 claimed third place with 6%, ahead of Channel 4's 5.3% (+1: 0.8%) and BBC Two's 4.6%.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional