'Rainbow' ratings surge to 5.8 million

[dutchman]

Over The Rainbow pulled in its best audience of the series on Sunday night, according to overnight ratings figures.

The latest elimination show, which saw rejected Dorothy Emilie Fleming hand back her ruby slippers, averaged 5.82m (24.9%) for BBC One between 7.15pm and 8pm.

The figure represents a week-on-week rise of over 1.1m as well as a new series high. The reality show's previous best was 5.36m (25.1%) on April 3.

It followed on from Countryfile, which had 5.64m (28.1%) in the hour prior. Antiques Roadshow took 4.89m (18.6%) in the 8pm hour, then the first episode of new drama Five Daughters delivered a strong 5.04m (19.6%).

On ITV1, the final episode in the current series of Foyle's War averaged 6.52m (25%) between 8pm and 10pm.

The final episode of BBC Two's Tropic of Cancer interested 1.77m (6.7%) in the 8pm hour, then the audience rose to 2.35m (9.1%) for a repeat edition of Top Gear.

On Channel 4, Come Dine With Me had an impressive 2.74m (10.4%) in the 8pm hour, with an additional 278k (1.1%) on timeshift. The Restoration Man followed with 1.81m (7%) at 9pm.

Five's screenings of The Man In The Iron Mask and Secret Window had 1.18m (5%) and 814k (3.6%) from 6.30pm.

BBC One averaged 20.6% in primetime for first place overall, two points ahead of ITV1. BBC Two was third with 9.6%, followed by Channel 4 with 7.4% (+1: 1%) and Five with 4.3%.

A repeat of Saturday's Britain's Got Talent was the most-watched multichannel programme of the day, drawing 1.26m (5.5%) to ITV2 at 7pm and a further 387k (1.5%) via timeshift. Spinoff show Britain's Got More Talent followed with 1.12m (4.3%) and 229k (0.9%).

Elsewhere, new episodes of 24 and House were seen by 587k (2.3%) and 521k (2.8%) on Sky1 from 9pm.

Ratings data supplied by Attentional