New 'Skins' series entertains 820k

Series five of Skins premiered with a modest 820k on digital channel E4 on Thursday evening, according to the latest audience data.

The new episode, titled 'Franky', averaged 823k (4.6%) for E4 in the 10pm hour and 113k (1.1%) on E4 +1. The combined audience was down slightly on the 1.1m that tuned in for the opener of series four a year ago.

In a difficult night for Channel 4, topical news format 10'Clock Live pulled in just 1.08m (6%) on the main network from 10pm, down 340k on last week's debut broadcast. An additional 113k (1.1%) watched the show on Channel 4 +1.

On BBC One, The One Show grabbed 4.71m (21.6%) from 7pm. Documentary series Human Planet captivated 4.8m (19.3%) in the 8pm hour, before the comedy double of Come Fly With Me and Not Going Out amused 5.96m (24.2%) and 4.24m (18%) respectively. Later, Question Time brought in 2.92m (21.3%) from 10.45pm.

Hostage negotiation drama Kidnap and Ransom continued with 4.7m (19.5%) on ITV1 in the 9pm hour. Earlier, Tonight: North V South had 3.12m (13.6%) from 7.30pm.

Channel 4's Relocation, Relocation brought in 1.94m (7.8%) in the 8pm hour and 392k (1.6%) on timeshift. Rome Wasn't Built In a Day mustered 1.41m (5.8%) from 9pm and 241k (1.3%) on +1.

Over at BBC Two, Who Does What? fetched 990k (4.4%) in the 7pm hour, before Michel Roux's Service served up 1.39m (5.6%) from 8pm. Men Of Rock captivated 1.2m (5%) in the 9pm hour, and The Great Outdoors had 780k (3.8%) from 10pm.

Channel 5's How Do They Do It? grabbed 933k (4.1%) from 7.30pm, before Britain's Secret Schindler: Revealed had 1.12m (4.5%). New show Justin Lee Collins: Turning Japanese appealed to 1.01m (4.2%) in the 9pm hour and a screening of The Wicker Man brought in 581k (4.1%) from 10pm.

Overall, BBC One narrowly won primetime with 23.1% against ITV1's 22.9%. Channel 4 came in third with 5.8% (+1: 1.1%), ahead of BBC Two with 4.6% and Channel 5 with 3.7%.

Elsewhere, Cannabis: What's the Harm? - presented by ex-EastEnders star James Alexandrou - was watched by 773k (3.2%) on BBC Three from 9pm.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional