Entertainment

Call The Midwife finale puts brakes on Top Gear viewing figures

Call The Midwife finale puts brakes on Top Gear viewing figures
Call The Midwife finale puts brakes on Top Gear viewing figures Call The Midwife finale puts brakes on Top Gear viewing figures

Top Gear suffered a drop in the ratings as Matt LeBlanc went up against the finale of Call The Midwife.

The revamped motoring show, fronted by Matt, Chris Harris and Rory Reid, notched up an average of 2.7 million viewers – peaking at 2.9 million – on Sunday night.

Last week’s series debut was seen by an average of 2.8 million people, according to overnight data, and a peak of 3.1 million.

Call The Midwife (Sophie Mutevelian/BBC/PA)

But the programme, which has been welcomed by viewers following the departure of Chris Evans, held on to its 11.1% share from last week.

Meanwhile, Call The Midwife, starring Jenny Agutter, Helen George and Charlotte Ritchie, came to a close with nine million viewers and a 36% share.

The series has been a ratings success, with an average for overnights of 8.61 million, up from eight million for series five.

The Top Gear hosts (BBC)

The much-loved BBC1 period drama wrapped up on Sunday night with a dramatic episode featuring a birth, a wedding, a death and a reunion.

It will not return until the festive special at Christmas but three more series have already been confirmed by the broadcaster.