Unofficial overnight figures show that Evolution of the Daleks was watched by 6.5 million viewers.

The programme was the second most watched for the day, being beaten by Casualty, which benefited from a later time slot. It was however the top rated show by share.

The programme also has the highest quarter hour peak audience of the evening, with 7.3 million watching between 1915 and 1930. It comfortably beat its direct opposition on ITV1, Vernon Kay's Gameshow Marathon which got just over half of the Doctor Who audience.

Doctor Who dominated the Children's chart with 1.4 million under 16's watching, a massive 64% share. This compares with BBC1's average Childrens share for the day of 18%.

On BBC3 Doctor Who Confidential was watched by 0.58 million viewers and was the second most watched programme on Multi Channel TV.

must have been that good weather again that stopped people watching as they usually do...

So it's supposed to be a kids show yet 5.1million of the viewers were over the age of 16.

Um, yes, but 64% of all kids watching tv at that time were watching Doctor Who, compared to probably only 30% of adults. So yes, MORE adults, but a HIGHER PERCENTAGE of children.

The sensibility of the show is more children's than adults (I'm not getting into that semantic argument about how the BBC classified it over the years, which they didn't.)

Remember that about 18% of the UK population is aged between 0-16 so 21% watching yesterday is not significantly outside the expected value.

IIRC more adults watch Totally Doctor Who and Newsround (lead in to Neighbours) than children, so demographics make it very difficult for children to be the majority even for kids TV.

The BBC3 repeat got over a million viewers - probably because so many people were, once again, confused by the BBC's random scheduling of the BBC One premiere. But it meant that Doctor Who comfortably beat Lost in the Sunday night ratings.

That's quite good, it shows that the 'backup' channel 3 is being used as such and that not all of its viewship are a subset of those who watched the original show watching it again. As a very dumb calculation I suppose you could take the average for the sunday repeat, when Saturdays show is broadcast at 7, from yesterday' figures to see how many people were trying to catch up on what they missed. That would probably push it over Casualty's figures for the weekend as a whole.

I read recently, that in America, series 2 of Dr Who averaged one million viewers and that series 3 has been taken up.

The 45 minute show was obviously designed to be sold over there but I can't imagine anyone over there wanting a show that gets so few viewers, unless of course the BBC practically gives it away.

Any news on how Vernon Kays Gameshow Marathon did in the Childrens chart??

It's on Cable television and therefore doesn't require the massive viewing figures.

And presumably wouldn't have a very big budget to pay very much for it.

Silly question, but why don't cable channels need very many viewers? Is it because they buy all the old and crap shows cheap?

Yes I missed most of it on Saturday and had to watch the Sunday repeat.

Well they get money from advertising and subs to the channel....

In the States there are so many channels which effect the ratings and a lot of good stuff is shown on cable. BSG for example.