Dirty Den's impending return boosts Eastenders

The impending return of Dirty Den swelled the audience of last night's Eastenders to more than 13 million viewers.

EastEnders was watched by 13.2 million viewers and attracted a 53% audience share, reports Media Guardian.

Last Monday EastEnders attracted 11.8 million viewers, half the available audience.

Dirty Den, played by Leslie Grantham, is due to arrive back in Albert Square sometime this week, after an absence of 14 years.

But EastEnders was still trumped in the ratings by the 7.30pm edition of Coronation Street which featured the revelation that Ken Barlow's son Peter had a secret wife and child.

It was watched by 14.2 million viewers and attracted a 61% audience share - 1.3 million more than last Monday.

The highlight of the 8.30pm edition of Coronation Street was a brawl between Tommy Harris and Martin Platt, after the latter had announced he was in love with Tommy's 17-year-old daughter.

This second showing for the soap attracted 13.1 million viewers - 700,000 fewer than a week ago.