Simon Cowell’s Britain’s Got Talent returned with more than 10 million viewers, making it ITV’s biggest show of the year so far, but it failed to hit the highs of last year’s record launch.
The ninth series of the Saturday night show – which Cowell has promised will feature more variety this year – had 10.1 million viewers, a 45.7% share, from 8pm, more than enough to see off BBC1 drama Atlantis, which sank without trace with just 2.6 million viewers (12.4%) from 7.45pm.
The new series managed only sixth in the all-time list of Britain’s Got Talent launches since it began in 2007, down on last year’s 11.1 million and the 10.5 million who watched in 2013.
The show, won last year by boy band Collabro, began eight years ago with 4.9 million viewers, rising to 8.8 million for its second series launch before hitting the 10 million mark for the first time in 2009 with 10.3 million.
It returned to ITV’s Saturday night schedule in place of Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, which came to an end last week.
Britain’s Got Talent’s enduring popularity will be welcomed by ITV, which has struggled in the ratings in the early part of the year, especially on Saturday nights.
Ahead of the new series, judge Amanda Holden said it was the responsibility of parents to decide if their children can handle the pressure of the competition, not the judges, over concerns whether young contestants should be able to take part.
But it was the welfare of an animal which prompted some viewers’ concerns after the first episode, when Wendy the Dog appeared to mime on stage, accompanied by French ventriloquist Marc Metral.
A spokesman for the show said the programme “takes the welfare of all our acts including animals incredibly seriously”.
Britain’s Got Talent opening episode ratings
2015 – 10.1 m (45.7%)
2014 – 11.1 m (47.3%)
2013 – 10.5m (41.5%)
2012 – 9.9m (41.1%)
2011 – 10.4m (43.2%)
2010 – 10.6m (44%)
2009 – 10.3m (45%)
2008 – 8.8m (37%)
2007 – 4.9m (23%)
