Supernanny outsmarts BBC2's Restaurant

BBC2's new reality show The Restaurantserved up a decent enough first serving at 8pm with 2m viewers, a share of 9.5%, but was no match for the return of Channel 4's Supernannywhich drew 2.9m (14%).

BBC2's new reality show The Restaurantserved up a decent enough first serving at 8pm with 2m viewers, a share of 9.5%, but was no match for the return of Channel 4's Supernannywhich drew 2.9m (14%).

The BBC2 series, which sees nine couples attempt to win the chance to open their own restaurant, grew its audience from 8pm from 1.8m (9.3%) to 2.2m (9.9%) in the final 15 minutes.

The Restaurantpulled in a respectable audience compared to similar BBC2 shows. The very first edition of Dragons' Denpulled in 1.6m (4.7%) on 19 January 2006 and The Apprenticelaunched with 2m (5.6%) on 4 October 2004.

However, the 60 minute show was down on the channel's slot average for the year of 2.4m (11%).

Proving to be more popular was the return of

The return of C4's Supernannywas more popular, drawing 2.9m (14%). Over the hour the the Ricochet show was on air it grew its audience from 2.2m (11.4%) to 3.3m (15.3%) in the final quarter of an hour. So far this year C4 has maintained a slot average of 3.3m (14.9%).

The show though was marginally down on the start of the last series on 28 August 2006 which attracted 3.1m (13.5%).

Five was some way off the pace at 8pm with the third instalment of Britain's Strongest Manbringing in 863,000 (4.2%). Nevertheless the show was above the channel's slot average of 758,000 (3.4%).

Comfortably taking the 8pm spoils was ITV1's The Bill, which picked up 4.9m (23.2%) in the same 60 minute slot. BBC1's The Best of Rogue Traders.won over 3.1m (15%) at the same time.

Silent but deadly

The situation between ITV1 and BBC1 was reversed at 9pm as the concluding episode of the Apocalypsestoryline in the corporation's Silent Witnessdrama gained 6.1m (26.1%) over the hour.

The show's audience peaked at the end with 6.3m (27.3%) and it picked up an extra 200,000 viewers from the opening show on Tuesday (28 August). It was also well above the slot average of 4.6m (20.3%).

ITV1 struggled to compete at the time, with the launch of the new series Crash Scene Investigationtaking 3.2m (13.9%). C4 was level-pegging as Big Brotherattracted 3.2m (14.2%).

Both BBC2 and Five were left trailing. BBC2's US drama series Heroesmanaged 2m (9.4%) over 45 minutes. Five's film The Devil's Own, at 9pm, thrilled 1.2m (6%).

Outside of peaktime, the second outing for BBC1's sitcom Outnumberedsaw its audience drop by 500,000 viewers to 2.5m (18.4%). The show, starring Hugh Dennis, was still comfortably above the slot average of 2.3m (16.4%).

All hours shares for Wednesday 29 August 2007: BBC1 - 20.6%, ITV1 - 18.1%, C4 - 9.6%, BBC2 - 9.1%, Five - 4.7%, multichannel - 38.4%.

Peaktime (6pm to 10.30pm) shares: ITV1 - 22.4%, BBC1 - 21.6%, C4 - 10.9%, BBC2 - 8.8%, Five - 4.2%, multichannel - 32.1%.