EastEnders’ two episodes both pulled in more than 10 million viewers on Thursday, as viewers tuned in to BBC1 to find out who killed Lucy Beale.
The 7.30pm episode, which hinted that Jane Beale might have been the killer, attracted 10.8 million viewers, a 44.7% share of the audience, according to unofficial overnight figures.
A second instalment shown at 9.25pm, in which the killer was revealed to be Bobby Beale in a flashback, pulled in 10.3 million, a 41.8% share.
Between the two episodes, crime drama Death in Paradise picked up 7.1 million, a 29.7% share.
EastEnders’ live week, which marks its 30th anniversary, has been a ratings success – the soap drew 9.6 million viewers for Tuesday’s episode, while 8.8 million watched on Wednesday.
ITV’s lineup proved no match for the BBC soap, with Emmerdale pulling in 5.5 million viewers (26.1%) at 6.45pm and coverage of the Uefa Europa League clash between Liverpool and Besiktas drawing 3.4 million (14.1%).
BBC2’s controversial documentary Reinventing the Royals, which was pulled from the schedules in December following the intervention of the royal family’s lawyers, attracted 1.8 million viewers, a 7.3% share, in the 9pm hour.
All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live, +1 (except for BBC channels) and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, or other – unless otherwise stated. Figures for BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 generally include ratings for their HD simulcast services, unless otherwise stated.
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