Doctor Who wins ratings battle

Doctor Who won the prime time TV battle on Saturday night, netting ten million viewers after a 16-year absence from our screens.

13:05 28 March 2005

Doctor Who won the prime time TV battle on Saturday night, netting ten million viewers after a 16-year absence from our screens.

The revamped BBC1 sci-fi series exterminated competition from Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, enjoying an average audience share of 43.2 per cent and a peak of 10.6 million viewers.

The opening episode of the first full series since 1989 saw the Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston, meet his assistant Rose (Billie Piper).

Ant and Dec, whose ITV1 show featured a guest appearance by football ace David Beckham, averaged 7.2 million viewers, taking a 31.4 per cent audience share.

But although Doctor Who managed to come out on top, the time lord found he had the BBC's new ballroom dancing show snapping at his heels when a technical problem left sound from Graham Norton's Strictly Dance Fever contest briefly playing over the opening scenes of the sci-fi series.

"There was a technical problem which was resolved as quickly as possible," a BBC spokesperson said.

"We apologise if it affected viewers' enjoyment of Doctor Who."

The technical hitch does not appear to have bothered fans of the time traveller.

Sylvester McCoy, who played the Doctor from 1987 to 1989, said he was particularly impressed by the new series.

"It had great pace and was witty," he said. "I was captivated by both the new Doctor and his assistant Rose."