British Olympic diving bid crashes out on BBC One with 4.4m

by Darren Davidson, Brand Republic 12-Aug-08, 11:00

LONDON - BBC One's highlights of yesterday's Olympics coverage, in which British divers Blake Aldridge and Tom Daley saw their medal hopes dashed following a poolside row, netted 4.4m viewers.

The highlights package, called 'The Games Today: Beijing 2008' captured a 21.9% share of the audience between 7pm and 8pm.

The programme featured 14-year-old Daley's bid to win a medal, which was preceded by a row with his diving partner Aldridge, aged 26, who broke off from their preparations for the last dive to take a call from his mother. The incident drew a rebuke from Daley, who Aldridge later blamed for the defeat.

Earlier in the day, BBC One's live coverage of the Games was watched by 2.2m viewers and a 26.2% share of the audience between 12.45pm and 5.15pm.

In the evening, BBC One triumphed in the prime battle for viewers with its detective drama 'New Tricks' pulling in 8.4m viewers and a 34.1% share of the audience in the 9pm to 10pm slot.

BBC Two's entrepreneur show 'Dragons' Den' attracted 3.4m viewers and a 13.9% share in the same slot.

But it was beaten into third place by ITV1 documentary 'Superhuman: World's Smallest People', which had 4.4m viewers and an 18% share in the same slot.

Channel 4's primetime offering was served by 'Grand Designs' presenter Kevin McCloud with a programme on urban development.

'Kevin McCloud and the Big Town Plan' scored 1.3m viewers and a 5.4% share in the 9-10pm slot. Including viewers on Channel 4+1 it had 1.5m viewers and a 5.9% share.

The latest instalment of Channel 4's 'Big Brother' pulled in 3.1m viewers and a 16.9% share. The ratings rose to 3.3m viewers and a 17.5% share including figures from Channel 4+1.