Episode Five

Duchess doc disappoints with 2.5m

ITV1’s observational documentary about Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson’s mission to tackle obesity in Hull flopped with viewers last night, with just 2.5m (11.6%) tuning in.

Over the hour from 9pm, The Duchess on the Estate managed to hold its audience relatively steady, peaking with 2.6m (12%) between 9.15pm and 9.30pm. So far this year, that slot has averaged an audience of 3.9m (17.4%).

The ratings were not enough to overtake Crimewatch Solved on BBC1, which won the 9pm hour with 3.75m (17.4%), or to beat Five, which drew level with the larger broadcaster with CSI: Miami’s identical audience of 2.5m (11.6%).

Channel 4’s Big Brother was watched by 2.1m (9.6%) with another 404,000 (2.6%) tuning in to C4+1.

BBC2’s pre-Raphaelite drama Desperate Romantics won the wooden spoon for the 9pm hour, with 1.8m (8.4%) sitting in. But that figure was up 100,000 from last week’s low of 1.7m (8.1%).

Earlier in the evening, viewers were more interested in ITV1’s Trevor MacDonald-fronted series Car Crime UK. This week, the show had been moved from 9pm to 8pm, and schedulers were rewarded with the series up 300,000 to 3.1m (14.2%) from last week’s episode across the hour.

Original article here.