Bookish episode 1 overnight ratings revealed as Mark Gatiss's new show shatters slot average
A lot of viewers tuned in to see how Gabriel Book's first case turned out.
Mark Gatiss's new detective drama Bookish debuted on U&Alibi last night, and after strong advance interest in the series it seems viewers were keen to tune in.
That's because the two-part opener, which aired from 8pm last night (Wednesday 16th July), smashed the average for both of its slots.
According to Broadcast, the first episode saw an audience of 270,000 tune in, making up 2.5 per cent of the audience for that time slot, way ahead of the 43,000 (0.3 per cent) benchmark.
Meanwhile, episode 2 retained the majority of the audience, with 202,000 (2 per cent) sticking around, once again ahead of the 45,000 (0.3 per cent) slot average.
Bookish didn't quite manage to match the opening of Nicola Walker's Annika, which saw 410,000 (2.5 per cent) tune in in August 2022 - however, it is still a very strong start, especially considering that the series is already available to watch in full on platforms such as Sky and Virgin.
Read more:
- Doctor Who writer reveals how Jon Pertwee helped shape his Bookish detective
- Doctor Who legend Mark Gatiss reveals key problem for writing episodes: "Nostalgia is a dangerous thing"
UKTV clearly knew they had a hit on their hands long before the episodes debuted, as the series was renewed for season 2 a couple of months ago, and is set to go back into production this summer.
Not only will creator and star Gatiss be back, but so will the rest of the central cast, including Polly Walker (Bridgerton), Elliot Levey (We Were the Lucky Ones), Connor Finch (Professor T), Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners) and Buket Kömür (Generation Z).
The series follows Gatiss's character Gabriel Book, the owner of an antiquarian bookshop in London in 1946, who also helps the police to solve crimes.
Bookish airs weekly on Wednesdays on U&Alibi. The series is available to stream in full on demand on Sky, Virgin, BT and TalkTalk.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
