BBC claims TV ratings victory

The BBC has claimed victory in the latest round in the ratings battle with its coverage of the FA Cup Quarter Final.

They netted a peak of 8.4 million viewers according to overnight figures.

The screening of Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Newcastle United averaged 6.7 million viewers last night compared with Cilla Black's Blind Date which averaged six million viewers and Stars in Their Eyes averaging 5.3 million.

The match attracted a higher audience that last season's FA Cup Final between Liverpool and Arsenal which had a peak of 7.3 million and averaged 6.7 million, a BBC spokesman said.

It also beat the Worthington Cup Final two weeks ago on ITV with an average audience of five million and a 6.8 million peak.

He added that it was a victory for BBC sports coverage in comparison to ITV which had to move its flagship Premiership highlights programme from 7pm after poor audiences.

"We are very pleased with these figures," he said. "The fact that we were pulling in 7.8 million viewers at 7pm - the same slot as ITV's Premiership programme which brought in about five million viewers - speaks for itself."

But ITV said that the figures were far from a victory when the match did not even come in the top five for live matches this season.

A spokesman said: "If the BBC are happy with mid-table obscurity that's their problem not ours.

"The Premiership was a highlights programme but if we compare like with like the figures do not even make it into the top five for a live game. I think the BBC will be reasonably disappointed with the figures."