BBC take ITV to the cleaners in World Cup final ratings war
THE BBC proved the big winner in the ratings war with ITV for the World Cup final with almost five times as many people tuning in to their coverage.
More than 21 million British viewers saw Spain lift the trophy for the first time in their history with a 1-0 extra-time win over Holland.
The BBC drew a peak audience of 17.9 million during the tense period of extra time,
between 9.55pm and 10pm, with a 60 per cent share of the total audience.
ITV, however, could only manage a peak of 3.8 million from 10pm to 10.05pm with a 13 per cent share.
But despite their resounding defeat, ITV director Peter Fincham said he was proud of his team’s efforts. “Adrian Chiles and the entire team brought our viewers coverage of the highest quality and offered a fresh perspective on the competition,” he said.
Worldwide, the final drew an estimated audience of 700 million – 100 million more than the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.