'Ratings: The Only Way Is Essex' delights 830k in midweek

[dutchman]

The Only Way Is Essex proved popular on Wednesday evening, but BBC Three's new drama The Fades lost viewers, the latest audience data has revealed.



Series three of The Only Way Is Essex averaged 835k (4.7%) for ITV2 from 10pm, although that was nearly half the audience for the debut episode on Sunday. A further 128k (1.4%) watched the show on +1.

The Fades, Jack Thorne's six-part horror drama starring Iain De Caestecker and Lily Loveless, slumped to 497k (2.2%) on BBC Three in the 9pm hour, down by 230k on the premiere last week.

Planet Dinosaur captivated 3.27m (14.9%) on BBC One from 8.30pm. Afterwards, Richard Madeley's turn on Who Do You Think You Are? mustered 4.29m (18.9%).

Both shows performed well against tough competition from coverage of Chelsea's Champions League clash with Valencia, which had 3.95m (18.1%) on ITV1 between 7.30pm and 10pm.

Escape to the Country appealed to 1.61m (8.3%) on BBC Two in the 7pm hour, before Natural World revved up 1.42m (6.5%) from 8pm. Dragons' Den captivated 1.09m (4.8%) from 9pm and Shooting Stars had 1m (5.4%) from 10pm.

Channel 4's Location, Location, Location located 2.56m (11.8%) in the 8pm hour and 208k (0.9%) on +1. Grand Designs built 2.96m (13%) and on 441k (2.6%) on timshift. Comedy Fresh Meat continued with 1.11m (6.5%) from 10pm and 215k (2.4%) an hour later.

Highland Emergency took 869k (4.4%) on Channel 5 from 7.30pm, before Ultimate Emergency fetched 978k (4.5%) in the 8pm slot. Law & Order: Criminal Intent had 1.05m (4.6%) from 9pm.

Big Brother continued on Channel 5 with 1.3m (7.6%) in the 10pm hour, and Big Brother's Bit On The Side entertained 198k (2.3%) on 5* from 11pm.

Overall, BBC One edged primetime with 19.3% against ITV1's 17.5% (+1: 0.2%). Channel 4 came in third with 9.1% (+1: 0.9%), followed by BBC Two with 6.3% and Channel 5's with 4.7%.

Elsewhere, Mount Pleasant amused 392k (1.7%) on Sky1 from 9pm and a screening of Con Air thrilled 697k (5.1%) on BBC Three from 10pm.