More than 12 million viewers watched Big Ben ring in the new year amid a spectacular fireworks display on BBC1 – but it failed to hit the highs of last year’s celebrations.
The 15-minute New Year’s Eve Fireworks programme had an average of 12.3 million viewers (63%) from 11.55pm, down from 13.7 million viewers (67.5%) for the same broadcast in 2013.
It will still be one of the most watched shows of the year across all channels, its overnight audience neck-and-neck with the final of the Great British Bake Off on BBC1 in October, which was also watched by 12.3 million viewers.
The Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood show later grew its consolidated audience to 13.5 million, including people who watched it in the subsequent seven days after broadcast.
BBC1’s coverage of the London fireworks was sandwiched between a new year concert featuring Queen and Adam Lambert, which had 5.8 million viewers (34.2%) before the bongs and 10 million (59.3%) afterwards.
Also rocking, but of the pre-recorded variety, was Jools’ Annual Hootenanny on BBC2, watched by 2.6 million viewers, a 19% share, across 75 minutes from 11.20pm, the same as in 2013.
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Elsewhere on New Year’s Eve, BBC1’s Steve Pemberton drama Mapp and Lucia finished its three-part run with 2.2 million viewers, a 12.4% share, from 9pm.
It was beaten by ITV’s Jason Manford review of 2014, A Funny Old Year, which had 2.4 million viewers (13%), also from 9pm.
Mapp and Lucia, shown over three consecutive nights, began with 3.8 million viewers (16.7%) on Monday, dropping to 2.9 million (13.3%) on Tuesday. BBC2’s free-to-air movie premiere, The Help, had 1.5 million viewers (8.4%) from 8.30pm.
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, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 generally include ratings for their HD simulcast services, unless otherwise stated
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