Euro dancers trounced by X Factor

 

Ben Dowell

Monday September 3, 2007

MediaGuardian.co.uk

 

BBC1's coverage of the inaugural Eurovision Dance Contest was roundly walloped by most of ITV1's line-up on Saturday night.

Eurovision Dance Contest attracted 3.8 million viewers at an 18% share over two and a quarter hours from 8pm, according to unofficial overnights.

 

The BBC1 dance spectacular hosted by Graham Norton and Claudia Winkleman lost out to The X Factor on ITV1, which averaged 8.7 million viewers at a 43% share between 7.50pm and 8.50pm.

 

This was followed on ITV1 by an hour-long celebrity edition of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? at 8.50pm, which averaged 5.7 million viewers and a 27% share.

 

The Eurovision Dance Contest only managed to assert a lead over ITV1 when the commercial channel's audience fell for the start of the James Bond film repeat of Goldeneye, which averaged 2.4 million at 17% between 9.50pm and 12.30pm.

 

In the 25 minutes that Goldeneye was against the Eurovision Dance Contest, the BBC1 show held the advantage as nearly 5 million viewers piled in for the final half hour and the announcement of the Finnish winners, Jussi Vnnen and Katja Koukkula.

 

On other channels at the same time, the Proms on BBC2 averaged 600,000 viewers at a 3% share between 6.55pm and 9pm.

 

An edition of Channel 4's Alive, which told the true story of a father and son whose raft capsized in Alsaka in Grizzly Bear country, averaged 1.3 million at 6% in the 8pm hour.

 

Channel Five's US drama import NCIS got 1.4 million at a 7% share between 8.05pm and 9pm.

 

Later in the evening, Channel 4's film repeat of the Seth Green comedy Without a Paddle, pulled in 2 million viewers at 10% between 9pm and 10.50pm.

 

Without a Paddle beat BBC2's offering, British Film Forever, a documentary looking at the history of this country's war films, which averaged 1.3 million at 6% over the 9pm hour.

 

Later on, the film repeat of the 2001 Dougray Scott and Kate Winslet film Enigma averaged 1 million at a 9% share between 10.35pm and 12.30am.

 

BBC1's late news bulletin at 10.15pm got 5.1 million viewers at 27%; while Match of the Day got 4 million at 29% between 10.35pm and 11.55pm.

i didnt get to see the show at all as i wa slate in from work,i wonder is it getting a dvd relase