Billie Piper's new series a hit

BBC NEWS reports Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper in the title role, is turning in to a ratings success for ITV2. The first episode of the raunchy series recorded one of the biggest audiences for the channel since it began in 1998.

It also scored higher ratings than the programmes showing at the same time on BBC Two, Channel 4 and Five.

The drama is based on an online diary, written under the pseudonym Belle de Jour, which became a best-selling book.