On the rise...6.5m watch Bake Off
GREAT British Bake Off’s return was a ratings success with 6.5 million people tuning in to watch its debut on Channel 4.
Despite fears viewers would desert the show following it’s switch from the BBC, the first episode of the new series was the broadcaster’s biggest overnight audience in five years.
Bake Off’s biggest overnight audience for a launch episode on BBC Two was 5.6 million in 2013.
By contrast the show’s launch on BBC One last year won an overnight average of 10.4 million – almost four million above the figure for Channel 4.
Jay Hunt, Channel 4’s outgoing chief creative officer, said: “The Great British Bake Off’s audience last night proves it’s still one of the country’s favourite shows.
“I am delighted millions watched the new team put 12 magnificent bakers through their paces. It’s the largest share of young audiences we’ve had for a show for over a decade.”
During the Edinburgh International Television Festival last week, Hunt said she would be “absolutely delighted” if the new series was watched by “five, six, seven million”.
The episode figure of 6.5 million is nearly double the number recorded for Diana: In Her Own Words, which had been Channel 4’s largest overnight audience so far this year.
It is also the highest overnight ratings enjoyed by Channel 4 since the opening ceremony of the London Paralympic Games in August 2012.
The figure is likely to rise higher when the official consolidated ratings are published next week, which will include people who recorded the show and watched it up to seven days afterwards. But someone who did not tune in was judge Paul Hollywood who admitted he only saw the final 20 minutes on Tuesday night.
Shy Hollywood, 51, refused to watch because he does not like seeing himself on TV.
The celebrity bread maker said: “People were sending me texts saying they were enjoying the show. I caught the last 20 minutes of it... I was there so I didn’t need to watch the whole thing. But it was great, all the reaction has been very, very positive, which is great news.”
On Tuesday, viewers saw IT programme manager Peter from Essex become the first contestant booted out of the tent while marketing executive Steven Carter-Bailey, 34, from Hertfordshire, was named star baker for a trio of faultless bakes.