ITV4 scores biggest ever audience
- Published: 01 October 2008 13:11
- Author: Jon Rogers
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- Last Updated: 01 October 2008 13:47
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ITV4 scored its highest ever audience for any programme last night as Manchester United's game against Alborg averaged a hefty 1.7m (8.50%) from 7.30pm.
The game itself, which saw the English side cruise to a comfortable 3-0 win, averaged a strong 2m (8.96%) from kick-off at 7.45pm. The audience peaked with 2.3m (11.3%) at the end of the match.
The show was up by a staggering 567% on the channel's slot average for the year so far of 255,000 (1.12%).
Last night's game was ITV4's largest ever audience for a programme. The previous record had been held by Middlesbrough's Uefa Cup tie against Steaua on 27 April 2006. The entire coverage then managed an average audience of 1.5m (9.70%).
The channel just fell short of the 1.5 mark earlier this year – with a 7.48% share – for live coverage of Arsenal's Uefa Cup tie against AC Milan.
The show was head and shoulders above anything else on multichannel television last night and, in multichannel homes, the third most popular channel during the match, outperforming both BBC2 and Five.
BBC3 did manage to put up some sort of competition. The final instalment of Don't Tell the Bride at 9pm fared well with 650,000 (3.29%) for an hour which was followed by EastEnders at 10pm on 892,000 (5.49%).
Later on at 10.30pm the corporation's youth entertainment channel wasn't quite on form with the start of the new comedy drama Coming of Age. The 30-minute show averaged 274,000 (2.2%), below the channel's slot average for the year so far of 310,000 (2.21%).
ITV2 managed a respectable 449,000 (2.25%) for its two-hour movie Sister Act from 8pm.
Living also managed to break the 400,000 mark as its US drama series Ghost Whisperer averaged 401,000 (2.03%) at 9pm.
