BBC1’s party leaders’ debate – minus David Cameron and Nick Clegg – was watched by more than 4 million viewers, down nearly 50% on the channel’s 2010 debate and beaten in the ratings by ITV’s Emmerdale.
BBC Election Debate 2015 had 4.3 million viewers, a 20.5% share, from 8pm last night, as Labour leader Ed Miliband appeared in a five-way debate with Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon, Ukip’s Nigel Farage, Green Party leader Natalie Bennett and Leanne Wood of Plaid Cymru.
It was 3 million viewers down on the 2010 debate, featuring Cameron, Clegg and Gordon Brown, which had 7.3 million viewers (27.9%) on BBC1, rising to 8.4 million when simulcasts on BBC News and Sky News were taken into account.
The debate, hosted by David Dimbleby, lost out to ITV soap Emmerdale, which also started at 8pm and had 5.2 million viewers, a 26% share.
ITV’s debate two weeks ago, featuring all seven party leaders, was also down on five years ago, with 7 million viewers (31%) against 9.4 million (37%) in 2010.
The election programmes began with Jeremy Paxman’s interviews with Cameron and Miliband, broadcast jointly by Channel 4 and Sky News, watched by a total of more than 3 million viewers. Channel 4 did not broadcast a debate in 2010 so there is no comparison with five years ago.
