This Is Us struggles for C4

The third episode of the 18-part NBC drama revolving around the lives of several people who share a birthday slipped to around half the 850,000 (4.3%) who tuned in to its debut.

It was the last-placed terrestrial show in the slot, behind Channel 5 documentary The Graham Norton Story, which was entertained 860,000 (4.4%) from 9pm to 10.35pm.

This Is Us also struggled to compete with competition from the digital channels.

E4 was the most-watched of the crop as Tattoo Fixers at Christmas pulled in 675,000 (3.2%), eclipsing the channel’s 493,000 (2.4%) slot average.

It also outperformned the opening episode of the fourth series which notched up 553,000 (3%) earlier this month in its Wednesday 9pm slot.

Elsewhere at 9pm, BBC4’s Digging For Britain located 615,000 (3%), while ITV2’s film Hot Fuzz was watched by 533,000 (2.6%) across the 9pm hour.

The second and final part of Red Production Company’s Christmas special won the slot.

Across its stripped two-part run the show averaged 5.3m (24.4%), below the 6m (24.4%) who tuned in for the third six-part run from December 2015.

Meanwhile Voltage one-off special for BBC2 Inside the Christmas Factory informed 2.8m (13.1%), ahead of ITV’s Paul O’Grady’s Favourite Fairy Tales which gripped 1.6m (7.7%), according to Barb data supplied by overnights.tv.

From 10.30pm to 11pm, Channel 5’s Lip Sync Battle Christmas Special, featuring a head-to-head between EastEnders’ Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace was watched by 430,000 (3.2%), well down on the 1.5m (7.9%) who tuned in to the debut series in January.