Celebrity Big Brother proves a ratings hit for Richard Desmond

As Jedward close in on victory in the finale of Celebrity Big Brother tonight, Richard Desmond will be toasting the success of a series which has averaged a very respectable 2.6 million viewers for Channel 5.

CBB has proved something of a ratings bonanza with the success of the 21 episodes to date allowing the smallest of the UK's commercial broadcasters to punch well above its weight.

An average audience of about 2.6 million, and a 12.1% share of all TV viewers in its timeslot, is a respectable showing particularly when compared with the final series of Celebrity Big Brother, which aired on Channel 4 last January.

Channel 4 averaged about 3.4 million viewers and a 14% share, but the show aired during the middle of winter when stay-at-home audiences are generally expected to be higher than those in the summer.

Channel 5 relaunched the series on 18 August posting a series high tonight's final notwithstanding of 5.2 million viewers and a 22% share of all TV viewing in its timeslot.

Relatively weak programming schedules from larger rivals saw Channel 5 give ITV and Channel 4 a rare peak-time ratings bloody nose on a recent Sunday, although the victory proved to be something of a one-off.

Channel 5's lowest audience for Big Brother has been 1.55 million viewers and a 7.6% share.

"For Channel 5 to do a better share than ITV1 and C4 in the Celebrity Big Brother timeslot is a fantastic performance," said Adrian English, head of broadcast at media agency Carat UK.

"It has delivered above expectations. Channel 5 has traditionally struggled to attract a younger audience. I'll be interested to see if Channel 5's viewing profile becomes younger over the long term; if so Big Brother will have paid for itself in spades."

Accirding to unofficial audience figures Channel 5 has delivered an average of 798,000 16- to 34-year-olds per show, a key demographic much sought after by advertisers, which is an average 19% share of that demographic in the time slot in which CBB airs.

Channel 5's peak 18-to 34-year-old audience for any show was 1.8 million, the lowest was 481,000.
guardian.co.uk