'Superstar' first live show stumbles along with 2.9m
Published Jul 17 2012, 12:24 BST | By Paul Millar
Andrew Lloyd Webber's Superstar saw no ratings boost as the live shows began last night (July 16).Afnan Iftikhar's exit from the opera talent search, hosted by Amanda Holden, was seen by 2.83m (12.7%) between 9pm and 10.30pm - adding 103k (0.6%) on ITV1 +1.
Monday's audience for Superstar was also worryingly 300k lower than Sunday's (July 15) pre-recorded boot camp edition.
Christopher Eccleston's BBC drama Blackout edged Superstar with just 3m (13%), while Undercover Boss interested 1.96m (8.5%) on Channel 4 (+1: 320k/1.7%), and 1.39m (6%) watched Operation Crossbow on BBC Two.
Airing against EastEnders in the 8pm slot, Britain's Secret Treasures opened with 3.87m (16.8%) on ITV1 (+1: 133k/0.6%), University Challenge returned to BBC Two with 2.02m (8.7%), and Dispatches rallied to 1.2m (5.6%) for Channel 4 (+1: 178k/0.6%).
Meanwhile on Channel 5, Police Interceptors slipped to 907k (3.9%) in the 8pm hour, then 1.29m (5.6%) caught the latest Big Brother highlights show, and The Walking Dead attracted 831k (4.4%).
Amazingly, an old edition of the recently cancelled detective drama Lewis beat Big Brother, drawing 1.38m (6.6%) to ITV3 between 9pm and 11pm.
Overall, ITV1 topped primetime with 21.4% (+1: 0.6%), seeing off BBC One's 17.9%. BBC Two and Channel 4 tied in third place with 5.7% (C4+1: 0.9%), ahead of ITV3's 4.5% and Channel 5's 3.9% (+1: 0.2%).
A BBC Four documentary about the history of toilets, The Toilet: An Unspoken History, sucked in 1m (4.3%) in the 9pm slot.
BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional
It is SO DULL! Amanda Holden is a mannequin host, there's too many ads (it is itv) and the format is completely backwards. It's just like X Factor but a million times worse and completely draining. Only good elements are Mel C and the wonderful Dawn French who's behind the only reason I'm watching. I have to say I'm surprised she has agreed to do a tacky talent show however it's clear she's just enjoying all of the talent and having a laugh with it all, not taking it too seriously. This must be the last though, people are fed up to the back teeth of these shows and the X Factor axe must soon follow. I suspect it will be an even bigger flop than last year it's tired and boring now, enough!
July 18th 2012 at 2:21pm(+2 likes)
Theres too many of these damn singing competitions.
July 17th 2012 at 9:13pm(+2 likes)
Wow, Superstar really has been a disaster for ITV1, expected it to hover around 4/5m at least. I'm starting to suspect people are finally getting fed up of singing reality shows.
July 17th 2012 at 7:41pm(+1 like)
À disaster`.?...then you didn't watch the boring `Voice` then Now that was a real disaster costing the license payers £millions, whereas `Superstar` has real talent hasn't cost them a penny
July 23rd 2012 at 12:23pm
8-)
July 17th 2012 at 5:49pm
Hey guys dont knock I T V.....rivkin will have you up before the I T V bosses...lol...!!
July 17th 2012 at 4:51pm