'Ugly Betty' return pulls in 1.8 million

Ugly Betty's season three premiere pulled in 1.83m (10.5%) for Channel 4 last night during the 10pm hour, according to early ratings figures.

The audience is down around 650k on the season two premiere, which had 2.48m (11.7%) on October 10, 2007. The season one opener attracted an impressive 4.5m (19%) on January 5, 2007.

Last night's Betty was broadcast after the Big Brother highlights show, which managed 1.78m (8.4%). A special live nominations show aired after the America Ferrera-fronted series, grabbing 1.77m (14.7%).

Earlier on the channel, at 8pm, River Cottage put in 2.18m (11.1%).

Over on BBC One, the latest Celebrity Masterchef episode interested 3.64m (18.5%), then the 9pm screening of Famous, Rich And Homeless, which saw celebrities including Annabel Croft and Bruce Jones experience the reality of homelessness, took 4.74m (22.4%), winning its timeslot.

Tennis highlights show Today At Wimbledon averaged 1.55m (7.8%) for BBC Two at 8pm. The audience then dropped to 1.46m (6.9%) during Nasa: Triumph And Tragedy.

ITV1's The Bill attracted 4.62m (23.4%) at 8pm, then 3.59m (17%) tuned in for the second and final part of Spain: Paradise Lost.

Five documentary Jack The Ripper: Tabloid Killer - Revealed grabbed 1.11m (5.6%) during the 8pm hour. Clint Eastwood film For A Few Dollars More then averaged 1.2m (7%) between 9pm and 11.45pm.

Overall, ITV1 came top during primetime with an average share of 21.7% to BBC One's 19.8%. Channel 4 was third with 8.7% (+1: 1.2%), followed by BBC Two with 7.3% and Five's 5.2%.

Elsewhere, the third instalment of Martina Cole's The Take put in 479k (2.5%) for Sky1 at 9pm, beating America's Got Talent, which took 456k (2.4%) for ITV2, and the second part of BBC Four's Henry VIII: Patron Or Plunderer, which logged 254k (1.3%).

The latest episode of Gossip Girl managed a lowly 184k (1%) for ITV2 during the 8pm hour.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional