Fall of RI:SE as ratings dip further

Ratings for the relaunched Channel 4 breakfast show RI:SE have sunk to a low of just 100,000, figures suggested today.

Viewing figures have halved since the programme returned to our screens on Monday with new presenter Iain Lee.

It was trounced by Channel 5 kids’ shows Noddy and Bear In The Big Blue House which pulled in four times as many viewers, according to unofficial overnight figures.

A RI:SE spokeswoman said audience levels had occasionally dropped as low as 100,000 during the first series, which was ditched on account of poor ratings.

Show bosses had hoped getting rid of all but one of the previous presenting line-up, moving to a new studio and overhauling the format would help turn its fortunes around.

But if the audience dips any lower RI:SE will suffer the humiliation of getting a “zero rating” – the classification for any show which draws fewer than 100,000 viewers.

The spokeswoman tried to shrug off the bad news and claimed bosses were confident ratings would rise.

“We are going to see what happens over time but we believe the audience will build slowly and steadily,” she said.

RI:SE is now co-hosted by Lee and original presenter Edith Bowman, while the last half hour is fronted by comedy duo Mel and Sue.

The first series, presented by Mark Durden-Smith, was averaging around 250,000 viewers last October and November before it was axed.

The Big Breakfast, the show it replaced, had a similar-sized audience in its last days.