This weekend’s Live At The Apollo is claiming the record for the most-watched stand-up show on television, after attracting 6.8million viewers.
The early ‘overnight’ figure suggests almost one in three people watching TV at 9.40pm on Saturday were tuned to the show on BBC One.
Ratings were boosted by its positioning in the schedules next to the Strictly Come Dancing final, and the absence of competition from the X Factor on ITV1.
The Apollo episode, the fourth in series five, featured comedians Rhod Gilbert – who had this year’s bestselling debut stand-up DVD – and John Bishop.
Bishop has just announced his first arena date – playing to up to 10,000 home-town fans at the Liverpool Arena in May.
The Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee has already twice sold out the city’s Empire theatre with his current Elvis Has Left The Building tour. He has also just landed his own BBC Radio 4 show.
The next Live At The Apollo is on Christmas Eve at 11pm and features Ed Byrne, Adam Hills and Gina Yashere.
Meanwhile, Michael McIntyre has claimed the Christmas No 1 for stand-up DVDs, after selling a staggering one million copies of his Hello Wembley show.
Copyright : Comedy Central UK