Royal Variety Performance pulls in 7.5m viewers

by Darren Davidson, Brand Republic 18-Dec-08, 10:55

LONDON - BBC One's 'The Royal Variety Performance 2008' proved once again that talent shows continue to draw big audiences, with 7.5m viewers tuning in last night, according to unofficial overnight figures.

The programmed featured performances from the 'The X Factor's' Leona Lewis, 'Britain's Got Talent' winner George Sampson and the victors of 'Last Choir Standing', Only Men Aloud. It captured a 31.5% share of the audience in the 7.30pm-10pm slot.

US import 'Heroes' brought BBC Two 1.8m viewers and a 7.4% share of the audience between 9pm-10pm.

ITV1's 'Police, Camera, Action: Drink Driving Special' netted 3.7m viewers and a 15.6% share of the audience in the same slot.

Five's live coverage of Aston Villa's 3-1 defeat away to German side Hamburg in the UEFA Cup was watched by 1.2m viewers and a 5.2% share of the audience across the 7.30pm-10.15pm slot.

Channel 4 offered viewers two Christmas-themed cookery shows, with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'Christmas at River Cottage' cooking up 2.1m viewers and an 8.6% share of the audience between 8pm-9pm. Including viewers on Channel 4+1, it had 2.4m viewers and a 9.7% share of the audience.

It was followed by 'Willie's Perfect Chocolate Christmas', featuring the Devon-based chocolatier Willie Harcourt-Cooze, with 1.6m viewers and a 6.6% share of the audience. The ratings rose to 1.7m viewers including Channel 4+1.