TV ratings: More than 3m watch Malaysian grand prix

More than 3 million viewers tuned into BBC2 for live coverage of the Malaysian grand prix despite the early morning start on Easter Day, 4 April. The BBC's coverage began on BBC1, averaging 2.521 million viewers and a 34.1% share, between 8am and 10am, before switching to BBC2 which averaged 2.627 million (27.5%) between 9.55am and 11.10am, according to unofficial overnight figures. Coverage of the race itself, which began at 9am and was won by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel , averaged 3.075 million between the two channels. With children's programming dominating the other main channels, BBC1 – and then BBC2 – enjoyed an easy ratings win. ITV1's Coronation Street omnibus averaged 438,000 viewers (4.7%) between 9.25am and 11.45am, while BBC1's Easter programme He Is Risen Today, for which the F1 switched to BBC2, had 492,000 viewers (5.1%) between 10pm and 11pm. Jonathan Creek returned to BBC1 for a one-off special with more than 5 million viewers, but was no match for the penultimate episode of ITV1's A Touch of Frost. The Alan Davies drama averaged 5.454 million viewers and a 21.3% share between 8pm and 9.35pm, according to unofficial overnight figures. A Touch of Frost averaged 7.178 million viewers and a 28.2% share between 8pm and 10pm on ITV1. BBC2's Wonders of the Solar System came to the end of its five-part run with 2.419 million viewers (9.5%) between 9pm and 10pm, beating Channel 4's Restoration Man, which had 1.548 million viewers (6.1%) with another 202,000 on Channel 4 +1. Channel 4's Come Dine With me had 1.845 million viewers (7.3%) between 8pm and 9pm with another 290,000 viewers on Channel 4 +1, narrowly beating BBC2 travel series Tropic of Cancer, which had 1.827 million viewers. Another showing for Daniel Craig movie Layer Cake on Channel Five drew 1.098 million (4.9%) between 9pm and 11.10pm. BBC1's Michael McIntyre: Live and Laughing averaged 3.834 million (16.7%) between 9.35pm and 10.35pm. It lost out to ITV1's ITV News which, given a leg-up by A Touch of Frost, had 4.218 million viewers (18.7%) between 10pm and 10.15pm. The South Bank Show Revisited, which looked back at its profiles of Billy Connolly, pulled in 1.543 million (8.5%) between 10.15pm and 11.15pm. Melvyn Bragg's ITV1 swansong beat another showing for Four Weddings and a Funeral on Channel 4, which picked up 1.079 million (7.1%) between 10pm and 12.15am, and another 132,000 on Channel 4 +1. BBC2's Match of the Day 2 pulled in 2.648 million (13.6%) between 10pm and 11.10pm. Earlier, Channel 4's terrestrial movie premiere Eragon attracted 1.528 million viewers (8.4%) between 5.35pm and 7.30pm, with another 241,000 on Channel 4 +1. It beat the opening of another terrestrial movie premiere, Five's supernatural teen horror thriller The Covenant, which drew 701,000 viewers (3%) between 7.05pm and 9pm. Neither could match BBC2's Top Gear repeat, which picked up 1.747 million viewers (8.2%) between 6.55pm and 8pm. • 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".