'British Soap Awards' dominates Wednesday

[dutchman]

The British Soap Awards 2010 helped ITV1 dominate primetime on Wednesday night, according to the latest viewing figures.

Coverage of the awards ceremony, which was held in London on May 9, averaged 5.43m (24.8%) for ITV1 from 7.30pm to 10pm.

Spinoff show The British Soap Awards 2010: Let's Party drew 595k to ITV2 from 10pm and 62k (0.7%) on timeshift.

On BBC One, Junior Apprentice continued to struggle, attracting just 3.83m (16.5%) in the 9pm hour, down 200k on last week's debut episode.

Earlier on the channel, Holby City was watched by 4.32m (19.8%) from 8pm.

BBC Two's Springwatch: City Living With Simon King had 2.09m (9.6%) in the 8pm hour. It was followed by Monty Halls' Great Hebridean Escape with 2.13m (9.1%), up an impressive 820k week-on-week.

On Channel 4, B&B reality series Three In A Bed pulled in 1.49m (6.8%) in the 8pm hour and 79k (0.3%) on timeshift. Jamie Does - Athens appealed to 1.59m (6.8%) on Channel 4 from 9pm and 290k (1.7%) on timeshift.

Crime drama NCIS attracted 1.83m (7.9%) to Five in the 9pm hour. Eurovision: A Song For Justin, in which Justin Lee Collins attempted to enter the Eurovision Song Contest, followed with 437k (2.6%).

Overall, ITV1 secured victory in primetime with 23.3%, ahead of BBC One's 19.8%. BBC Two came in third with 8%, followed by Channel 4 with 5.9% (+1: 0.7%) and Five with 4.8%.

Elsewhere, a double-bill of Chris Ryan's Strike Back delivered 386k (1.7%) and 386k (2.3%) to Sky1 from 9pm.

American Idol appealed to 299k (1.3%) on ITV2 in the 9pm hour and 82k (0.5%) on timeshift.