The makers of ITV1’s new American drama Pushing Daises must be hoping that the show will not be buried without trace come commissioning season, after viewing figures failed to live up to expectations.
The US import, which stars British actor and former Brookside star Anna Friel, attracted about 5.7 million viewers. But the programme lost out to Casualty - the BBC’s long-running medical series was seen by 6.2 million. The heavily marketed Pushing Daisies did appeal to the coveted younger audience, however, with figures suggesting that 31% of viewers were 16- to 34-year-olds, compared to 18% in the same age bracket watching Casualty.
Friel appears in Pushing Daisies as the childhood sweetheart of pie maker Ned, played by Lee Pace, who can bring people back to life by touching them. The series - from Bryan Fuller, the creator of Star Trek Voyager and Heroes - has been a critical and commercial success in the US. Friel and Pace were both nominated for awards at this year’s Golden Globes, and the show was shortlisted for best musical or comedy series.
ITV1 did have Saturday’s highest-rated programme, as the taste for talent shows demonstrated little sign of waning. Britain’s Got Talent scored 8.8 million viewers, pipping Doctor Who on BBC1 - with 8.1 million - to the top spot.
Among the other ratings hits was the new ITV gameshow All-Star Mr and Mrs. It achieved an audience of 6.3 million.
I’d Do Anything, the BBC’s talent hunt for a West End version of Oliver! was seen by 5.4 million people.
