'Big Bang Theory' still pulling in huge ratings for E4

Season six of The Big Bang Theory is continuing to draw massive multichannel viewing figures for E4.



Episode three, in which Howard suffered a few anxiety attacks, amused 1.22 million - a 5.2% share - at 8pm and 401,000 an hour later on E4 +1 last night (November 29).

When The Big Bang Theory returned to UK screens a fortnight ago, the American sitcom gave E4 its biggest rating since June 2011.

When taking +1 into consideration, the show's audience has risen slightly on last week's outing.

An ITV3 classic showing of Doc Martin was Big Bang's nearest contender after picking up 972k (4%) at 9pm, while elsewhere in digital land Russell Howard's Good News amused 731k (3%) at 10pm and 326k (8.7%) for a second showing at 12.30am.

As expected, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! was the most-watched TV broadcast of the night with an impressive 8.7m (35.9%) between 8.30pm and 10pm, adding 387k on ITV1 +1. Some 955k (5.6%) stayed up for ITV2's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! NOW!, as well as 145k catching the spinoff on +1.

Over on BBC One, Young Apprentice held a respectable 3.02m (12.6%) in an 8pm slot opposite two of ITV's big hitters, Emmerdale and I'm a Celeb.

BBC Two's Great Continental Railway Journeys (2.58m/10.6%) led BBC One's struggling two-part documentary Goodnight Britain, which came to a close with 2.38m (9.9%) an hour later.

MasterChef: The Professionals (2.96m/12.5%) offered more delight for BBC Two in the 8pm hour, while Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert attracted 1.34m (7.2%) at 10pm for a new series of Work Experience.

On Channel 4, Kirstie's Vintage Home interested 1.11m (4.6%) at 8pm (+1: 157k), 775k (3.2%) watched The Aristocrats at 9pm (+1: 119k), and True Stories took 1.1m (7.3%) from 10pm (+1: 182k).

Meanwhile, World's Strongest Man (665k/2.8%) and Cowboy Builders (582k/2.4%) could only muster meagre numbers on Channel 5.

Overall, ITV1 strolled to another primetime victory with 28% (+1: 1%), seeing off BBC One which averaged 16.8%. BBC Two earned a comfortable third place with 9.4%, above Channel 4's 4.2% (+1: 0.6%) and Channel 5's 2.4% (+1: 0.2%).

When The Big Bang Theory returned to UK screens a fortnight ago, the American sitcom gave E4 its biggest rating since June 2011.

The increased ratings probably have more to do with E4 being more widely available in the UK than it was last year?

A lot of us can't wait and download the latest US episode instead.