Viewers preferred BBC1's coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II with the corporation's audience reaching a peak of 3 million (38%) at 10.50am.
Viewers preferred BBC1's coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II with the corporation's audience reaching a peak of 3 million (38%) at 10.50am.

The entire BBC1 coverage of The Funeral Mass of Pope John Paul IIwas seen by an average audience of 2.8 million (37%) between 8.40 and 11.30am.

The corporation's audience was more than double its normal Friday morning audience. During the same time last Friday (1 April) BBC1's most watched show was Animal Parkat 9.15am with 1.3 million (24.7%). Escape to the Countryat 10am had 1.2 million (23.3%).

ITV1's own coverage of the historical event couldn't match the corporation's with A Last Farewell: The Funeral of Pope John Paul IImanaging a high of 1.6 million (26%) at the beginning. Between 8.50 and 11.15am ITV1 averaged an audience of 1.3 million (17%). The live coverage was also up on the channel's normal Friday audience. Last Friday an episode of Trishaat 9.25am got 1.2 million (23.1%) while This Morningat 10.30am impressed 900,000 (18%).

ITV1 though easily dominated the early part of peaktime viewing with the wedding of Ken Barlow and Deirdre Rachid in Coronation Streetpeaking at a hefty 12.9 million (59%) at 7.50pm. The entire 30-minute episode at 7.30pm had 12.1 million (57%). The spin-off show at 8.30pm, When Ken Met Deirdre, found 4.2 million (19%).

BBC1's edited coverage of the Pope's funeral at 7.30am had 2.7 million (13%).

The corporation's main channel though fought back at 8pm with EastEndersgaining 10.4 million (47%). An old re-run of Only Fools and Horsesat 8.30pm took 6 million (27%) and The Two Ronnies Sketchbookat 9pm continued its strong run with 7 million (31%).

The first half of ITV1's Bond movie, A View to a Kill, at 9pm thrilled 4 million (19%). The second half at 11pm had 3.2 million (29%).

BBC2's gardening programmes once again brought in sizeable audiences to the channel. Royal Gardenersat 8pm had 2.2 million (10%) while Gardeners' Worldat 8.30pm found 3.5 million (16%).

C4's new reality game show Playing It Straightat 10pm got off to a solid start with 1.8 million (10%). It had the edge over Five's Snap: a History of the Paparazziat 10.05pm with 1.2 million (7%).

Peaktime shares for Friday 8 April: BBC1 - 29.1%, ITV1 - 27.3%, BBC2 - 9.1%, C4 - 6.8%, Five - 5.3%, multichannel - 22.4%.

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