In the U.K., coverage of the London 2012 Olympics and Euro 2012 "dominates the list of the most-popular TV programmes of the year ahead of the usual chart toppers, including The X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing and Downton Abbey," according Tara Conlan of the London GUARDIAN. The Olympic Closing Ceremony on Aug. 12 "was the most-watched programme of the year, with an average audience of 24.5 million viewers," despite a mixed critical reception, just ahead of Dir Danny Boyle's "widely acclaimed Opening Ceremony on July 27 (24.2 million)." BBC1's live coverage of the Closing Ceremony "attracted a bigger average audience than any U.K. TV show for more than 30 years" (GUARDIAN, 12/12).
Most-Viewed TV Programs in the U.K. in '12
|
| Rank |
Channel
|
Program
|
Viewers in Millions
|
Share
|
Date
|
Time
|
1.
|
BBC1
|
Olympics 2012: Closing Ceremony |
24.5
|
79% |
Aug. 12
|
9pm-12:17am |
2.
|
BBC1
|
Olympics 2012: Opening Ceremony |
24.2
|
81%
|
July 27
|
9pm-12:51am
|
3.
|
BBC1
|
Euro 2012: England vs. Italy
|
20.3
|
65%
|
June 24
|
7:41pm-10:24pm
|
4.
|
BBC1 |
Olympics 2012: Men’s 100m final |
17.3
|
59%
|
Aug. 5
|
9:42pm-10:15pm
|
5.
|
ITV1
|
Euro 2012: England vs. Ukraine
|
16.3 (incl. 100,000 on ITV1 +1)
|
57%
|
June 19
|
7:44pm-9:38pm
|
6.
|
BBC1
|
The Diamond Jubilee Concert |
15.3
|
55%
|
June 4
|
7:29pm-10:49pm |
7.
|
BBC1
|
Euro 2012: Sweden vs. England
|
14.2 |
53%
|
June 15
|
8pm-9:41pm
|
8.
|
BBC1
|
Olympics 2012: Women’s 400m final |
13.6
|
50%
|
Aug. 5
|
6:52pm-9:41pm |
9.
|
ITV1
|
Britain’s Got Talent
|
13.1 (incl. 600,000 on ITV1 +1)
|
49%
|
May 12
|
7:20pm-10pm
|
10.
|
ITV1 |
Euro 2012: France v England
|
12.6 (incl. 100,000 on ITV1 +1)
|
57%
|
June 11
|
5pm-6:51pm
|
