Ant and Dec’s return to TV screens on Britain’s Got Talent has become the biggest programme of 2019 so far, according to overnight figures – beating Line Of Duty.
The ITV talent show averaged 8.1 million viewers, peaking with 9.7 million on Saturday night.
The return of Line Of Duty took the top spot last Sunday with an average of 7.8 million viewers, and a peak of eight million on BBC One.
Britain’s Got Talent featured the return to TV screens of the much-loved TV presenting duo after Ant took a break following his drink-driving conviction last year.
Ant became overwhelmed after being embraced by his co-host during a performance by a group of schoolchildren on the TV show.
Still waiting for this to happen to us tbh… 🙄 🛩 #BGT pic.twitter.com/GAmihuGdoD
— Britain's Got Talent (@BGT) April 7, 2019
Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams also returned to judge the variety acts.
Last year, Dec hosted the live Britain’s Got Talent shows solo.
He later fronted I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! with Holly Willoughby instead of Ant.
ITV also said that the final of its singing competition The Voice, won by teenager Molly Hocking, was watched by 4.6 million viewers, peaking with 5.2 million.
The figures represent overnight rather than consolidated numbers – programmes recorded and watched up to seven days later.