'Big Brother' triumphs over 'Harley Street'

Big Brother helped Channel 4 to victory in the 9pm slot last night (Thursday), according to early figures.

The latest update show drew a winning 3.12m (14.3%) in the hour, up 300,000 week-on-week and with an additional audience of 442,000 (3%) on Channel 4+1. On ITV1 at the same time, medical drama Harley Street limped to a conclusion with 2.74m (12.6%).

Robert Winston's BBC One documentary SuperDoctors began slowly with just 2.76m (12.7%), down significantly from the 4.81m (22.2%) who saw Traffic Cops in the same slot last week. The show was only marginally ahead of Five's Extraordinary People: The Woman With Giant Legs, which managed an impressive 2.75m (12.6%).

On BBC Two, Mock The Week improved 400,000 to 3.05m (14%) then new comedy The Cup started with 1.74m (8%) at 9.30pm.

Olympics coverage also rated well yesterday, with a solid 5.64m (30.4%) tuning in for highlights show Games Today in the 7pm hour. A half-hour Emmerdale had 5.95m (32.8%) for ITV1, enough to rank second for the day overall.

At 8pm, EastEnders brought in 7.15m (35.4%) for BBC One, then Rogue Restaurants served up 4.42m (20.9%) from 8.30pm. The Bill had a respectable 4.16m (20.1%) for ITV1 and on Channel 4, 1.89m (9.1%) saw an updated edition of How To Look Good Naked. Five's Olympics-themed Megastructures interested 1.31m (6.4%).

The Charlotte Church Show brought in 1.3m (7.1%) to Channel 4 at 10pm, with an extra 195,000 (2.3%) via Channel 4+1. A repeat of Never Mind The Buzzcocks on BBC Two was more popular, however, with 1.55m (8.1%).

EastEnders was the top-rated multichannel choice, with an audience of 715,000 (4.3%) tuning in for BBC Three's 10pm repeat. The nightly Family Guy double bill attracted strong audiences of 602,000 (6.3%) and 477,000 (6.6%) from 11pm.

Five US had success with Steven Seagal movie Today You Die. The action drama, shown between 9pm and 10.50pm, brought in an average of 502,000 (2.9%). It was more popular than ITV2's screening of Schwarzenegger sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which had 485,000 (3.3%) between 9pm and 11.40pm.