ITV’s coverage of the National Television Awards has attracted its lowest audience in eight years, with fewer than 5.5 million tuning in to see Strictly Come Dancing beat The X Factor to the best talent show prize.
The programme, presented by Dermot O’Leary and broadcast live from the O2 arena in London, attracted 5.47 million viewers and a 25.5% share of total television viewing between 7.30pm and 10pm on Wednesday.
This was the event’s poorest overnight rating since 2008, the last awards presented by O’Leary’s predecessor, Sir Trevor McDonald, which pulled in 5.3 million viewers and a 22% share.
The audience for this year’s awards, which faced competition from BBC1’s live coverage of the third round FA Cup replay between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur, was well down on the 6.6 million who tuned in for the 2015 event.
Match of The Day drew an average audience of 3.9 million and an 18% share between 7.30pm and 10pm, as Tottenham triumphed over Leicester 2-0.
