[Sam]

Celebrites draw the crowds on Channel 4

Celebrity Big Brother returned with just over 7 million viewers last night, up on last year's launch night when George Galloway entered the house.
The Channel 4 reality show began with 7.1 million viewers and attracted a 28% share between 8pm and 9.30pm, according to unofficial overnights.

These were the second best Celebrity Big Brother opening night figures out of the five series. Celebrity Big Brother's ratings peaked at 8 million viewers and a 32% share during one quarter hour.

The Channel 4 reality show was the most watched programme during its 90 minute running time. Last year the Celebrity Big Brother launch show attracted 6.5 million viewers and a 26% share. But it faced stiffer competition from Doc Martin on ITV1, which had 8.1 million viewers and a 31% share.

Last night, Channel 4 also used Celebrity Big Brother as a launch platform for the third series of Desperate Housewives, showing an opening night double bill from 9.30pm.

The first instalment of Desperate Housewives attracted 3.6 million viewers, with the second picking up 2.8 million from 10.30pm.

A year ago, the second series of Desperate Housewives also launched off the back of Celebrity Big Brother, with 3.9 million viewers and a 21% share in the 10pm hour.

Competition last night came from a repeat of the final two episodes of Torchwood on BBC2, which drew an average of 2 million viewers between 9pm and 10.30pm.

ITV1's The Bill drew 5.6 million viewers in the 8pm hour, with Taggart following up from 9pm on 5.2 million.

On BBC1, Seaside Rescue attracted 4.5 million viewers from 8pm and then Mission Africa had 3.7 million between 8.30pm and 9pm.

Just the Two of Us suffered against Celebrity Big Brother and Taggart on its second night, slipping 1.5 million viewers and ending up with 3.9 million on BBC1 between 9pm and 10pm.

World's Strongest Man was watched by 1.3 million viewers on Channel Five between 8pm and 9pm, then, on the same network, movie repeat Ransom drew 1.4 million.


From Media Guardian