Northern Ireland

Viewing figures for Euro 2020 final penalties bigger than Boris Johnson's lockdown announcement

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saves from Italy's Federico Chiesa during the UEFA Euro 2020 Final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER England. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saves from Italy's Federico Chiesa during the UEFA Euro 2020 Final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER England. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saves from Italy's Federico Chiesa during the UEFA Euro 2020 Final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Sunday July 11, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER England. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.
By Bimpe Archer

THE penalty shoot-out in the Euro 2020 final saw 31 million UK viewers tune in to see Italy triumph over England.

According to Deadline, BARB figures supplied by overnights.tv that peak had 25 million viewers watching on BBC One and six million on ITV.

The massive audience - which does not include online figures - is among the highest in British broadcasting history, beating the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony which was watched by a peak of 27m and the 28m who tuned in to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's coronavirus lockdown address in March 2020.

Over the course of the match BBC One's coverage averaged 17.8m viewers from 6.20pm to 11.40pm and ITV was four million during that time.

These combined figures meant an average of 82 per cent of the available UK television viewing population was watching the game.