Take that! Martina Cole drama lands 661,000

Take that! Martina Cole drama lands 661,000
18 June, 2009 | By Kate McMahon

Sky 1’s East-End gangland drama Martina Cole’s The Take made a killer start last night, roping in an average audience of 661,000 – a share of 3.7% - over the double episode launch.

Helped in part to a noisy advertising campaign across billboards and newspapers, the first episode of the Tom Hardy led thriller snared an audience of 648,000 – an increase of 340% on the normal slot average.

More impressively, it held its audience across the hour, and added an extra 27,000 at 10pm for the second episode which averaged 675,000 (4.2%), peaking at 718,000 (4.2%) at 10.15pm.

Across the two episodes, 55.8% of adults watching were in the lucrative ABC1 category, and 22.4% of viewers were aged 16-34.

ITV4 was the next best at 9pm, with a repeat of classic comedy Auf Weidersehen, Pet drawing in a respectable 448,000 (2.3%), with an extra 27,000 watching on ITV4 +1.

BBC4’s Jonathan Foyle-fronted documentary Henry VIII: Patron or Plunderer also did the numbers, with 353,000 viewers (1.8%) tuning in at 9pm.

Over on E4, 162,000 (0.9%) tuned in to Tom Cruise movie Days of Thunder, with an extra 75,000 watching E4+1 at 10pm. ITV2’s Arnie blockbuster True Lies was seen by 387,000 (2.5%), and added an extra 80,000 on ITV2+1.

A repeat of the final Horne and Corden on BBC3 at 9.30pm was watched by 113,000 (0.6%), but its 10pm movie Sweet Home Alabama starring Reese Witherspoon proved more popular, watched by 381,000 (2.8%).

Just over 183,000 viewers tuned in to the third instalment of ITV3 drama Life at 10pm (1.1%), with an extra 1,000 viewers joining in an hour later on ITV3+1.

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/ratings/take-that-martina-cole-drama-lands-661000/5002669.article