BBC1 wins 7pm royal wedding ratings battle – using ITV's footage

BBC1 came out on top in the battle of the 7pm royal wedding engagement shows by running ITV correspondent Tom Bradby's Wills and Kate interview during The One Show last night, Tuesday 16 November. So although Bradby bagged the first post-engagement TV interview with the couple, it was BBC1 that took the ratings honours – particularly galling for ITV as The One Show was up against its own Will and Kate news special featuring the scoop. ITV made the interview available to other broadcasters with a 7pm embargo, allowing The One Show to run it. The One Show was watched by an average of 6.352 million viewers and attracted a 28.2% audience share on BBC1 and BBC1 HD. ITV1's news special averaged 5.914 million (26.3%) on the network and ITV1 HD in the same 7pm slot. The hastily scheduled news special pushed Emmerdale, which normally comfortably beats The One Show at 7pm, back by 30 minutes into a head-to-head with EastEnders. Emmerdale attracted 5.704 million (23.4%) on ITV1 and ITV1 HD against EastEnders, which had 7.096 million (29.2%) on BBC1 and BBC1 HD. The equivalent figures for last Tuesday were: The One Show (7pm: 4.971 million/22.3%), Emmerdale (7pm: 7.478 million/33.5%), EastEnders (7.30pm: 9.104 million/39.2%). Other royal engagement specials last night included BBC2's William & Kate, a Royal Engagement (7pm: 2.031 million/8.7%), ITV2's Kate & Wills: A 21st Century Love Story (8pm: 352,000/1.5%) and Sky1's repeat of Prince William in Africa (8pm: 95,000/0.4%). Five main terrestrial analogue networks BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4, Channel 5 (available in all UK homes with TV, except Channel 5, which reaches about 95%) BBC1/BBC1 HD 10.35pm: Imagine (new series) – 1.582 million/12.3% BBC2 9pm: Horizon: Deepwater Disaster – 1.189 million/4.7% ITV1/ITV1 HD 9pm: I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! – 8.708 million/34.1% Channel 4 9pm: The Family (new series) – 1.021 million/4%, C4+1 211,000/1.2% Channel 5 9pm: CSI: Miami – 1.743 million/6.8% All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, HD, +1 or other – unless otherwise stated • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".