The Impossible Astronaut - most recorded TV show of all time
Thursday, 19 May 2011 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Audience measurement service Kantar Media have reported that the opening episode of the new series of Doctor Who, The Impossible Astronaut, was the most recorded British television event of all time (so far!).
Statistial analysis of the BARB data revealed that 4.11 million viewers 'time-shifted' their watching of the programme, either through VOSDAL ("viewing on same day as live") or during the following week. The final total audience recorded for the episode was 8.9 million, indicating that some 46% of the audience did not watch the programme "live".
The previous record for time-shifted viewing was held by the Christmas Day episode of the Matt Lucas/David Walliams mockumentary series Come Fly With Me.
Dalia Gereis, the Commercial Director for Kantar Media Audiences, said:
(with thanks to Helen Brocket, Eureka Communications)
Statistial analysis of the BARB data revealed that 4.11 million viewers 'time-shifted' their watching of the programme, either through VOSDAL ("viewing on same day as live") or during the following week. The final total audience recorded for the episode was 8.9 million, indicating that some 46% of the audience did not watch the programme "live".
The previous record for time-shifted viewing was held by the Christmas Day episode of the Matt Lucas/David Walliams mockumentary series Come Fly With Me.
Dalia Gereis, the Commercial Director for Kantar Media Audiences, said:
With the continued growth of hard drive recording devices like Sky+, it’s no surprise that all the episodes of these top 10 recorded shows come from the last three years. Increasingly viewers are using their own ‘time travel’ abilities to watch TV shows when they want them – this particularly applies to dramas and ‘must see’ reality shows. Given that these figures do not include data from online catch up services like BBC iPlayer and ITVplayer, it is clear that judging a show’s performance just by looking at it’s overnight viewing figures is unlikely to give the full picture.
| Programme | Channel | Episode Date | Time Shifted viewing | Total Audience | |
| 1. | DOCTOR WHO | BBC1 | 23 Apr 2011 | 4.11m | 8.86m |
| 2. | COME FLY WITH ME | BBC1 | 25 Dec 2010 | 3.29m | 12.47m |
| 3. | THE X FACTOR | ITV1 | 02 Oct 2010 | 3.17m | 13.49m |
| 4. | EASTENDERS | BBC1 | 25 Dec 2010 | 2.7m | 12.61m |
| 5. | BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT | ITV1 | 01 May 2010 | 2.55m | 11.84m |
| 6. | THE ROYLE FAMILY | BBC1 | 25 Dec 2010 | 2.53m | 11.29m |
| 7. | CORONATION STREET | ITV1 | 10 Dec 2010 | 2.5m | 13.46m |
| 8. | WAKING THE DEAD | BBC1 | 03 Apr 2011 | 2.5m | 7.21m |
| 9. | WALLACE AND GROMIT | BBC1 | 25 Dec 2008 | 2.5m | 16.15m |
| 10. | STRICTLY COME DANCING | BBC1 | 11 Dec 2010 | 2.38m | 11.57m |
(with thanks to Helen Brocket, Eureka Communications)
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