First Jade wedding show gives Living TV record audience

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 12-Mar-09, 10:50

LONDON - Living TV has registered its best audience figures to date after 789,000 viewers watched the first part of its special on Jade Goody's wedding, according to unofficial overnight figures.

Living TV came very close to getting more viewers than BBC Two, which pulled in 797,000 for its documentary series charting preparations for the London Olympics 'Building the Olympic Dream' in the same slot at 9pm-10pm.

The programme showing Jade's preparations for her wedding were seen by 3.3% of the total TV audience, with the ceremony itself due to be screened tonight at 9pm-10pm.

Living TV's previous audience high was 709,000 for an earlier programme in February following the life of the cancer-stricken reality star shortly before she went onto India's version of 'Big Brother' last year.

The last of six episodes of Five's remake of 'Minder' managed 1.1m viewers and a 4.9% share, having begun its run with 2.4m.

There was a closely-fought battle between the other three terrestrial channels for the top rated show at 9pm-10pm.

ITV1's 'Taggart' was third with 3.5m and a 15.1% share, behind Channel 4's 'Grand Designs' on 3.7m and a 15.7% share -- with another 214,000 viewers watching on Channel 4+1.

However, BBC One's 'Nature's Great Events' came out on top with 3.9m (16.7%) seeing it cover the migration of animals in Africa's Kalahari Desert.