Channel 4 pulled in an of average of 2.6 million viewers for Boris Johnson’s speech last night at 8pm, but viewers seemed to prefer the light relief which followed directly afterwards with the first episode of the new series of the Great British Bake Off.
The channel’s viewing figures shot up to 6.9 million for the return of Bake Off, even with the episode delayed by 15 minutes to accommodate the Prime Minister. It featured new co-host Matt Lucas impersonating Mr Johnson by making his own address.
In March, Boris Johnson’s address to the nation confirming the UK was being put into lockdown was watched by more than 25 million viewers, with a second address in May where he offered the first sketch of a road map for restarting the economy attracting almost 30 million.
On Tuesday, BBC One, the BBC News Channel and BBC Scotland notched up a combined 10 million for Mr Johnson’s address.
On ITV, the Prime Minister was viewed by an average of 2.8 million and Sky News reached 621,000 people between 8pm and 8.15pm
Matt Lucas has replaced Sandi Toksvig appeared ahead of the show’s return to Channel 4 wearing a blonde wig and standing at a lectern featuring the slogan: “Stay Alert, Bake Cake, Save Loaves.”
Many people loved it on social media.
Matt began: “Good evening, let’s get straight to it.
“We are now approaching phase 46 which means that from Tuesday morning or Wednesday evening, depending on your height, we are saying, with regards to baking, that if you must bake in a tent, bake in a tent, but please don’t bake in a tent…”
He added: “We are asking people to use common sense with regards to the distribution of the hundreds and thousands.”
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