BBC
LONDON-The first episode of revamped talent show The Voice has easily beaten its rival Splash! according to overnight TV viewing figures. The Voice attracted average 8.4m viewers, while ITV’s celebrity diving show netted an audience of 3.7m, down from last week’s 4.9m viewers.
The third series opener of The Voice, with new judges Kylie Minogue and Ricky Wilson, peaked at more than 10m. The BBC One and ITV shows went head-to-head in Saturday night’s schedules. The Voice saw the start of blind auditions, in which singers perform to the four coaches who have their backs to the stage. Sir Tom Jones and will.i.am have returned to the programme, while Minogue and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Wilson have replaced Jessie J and The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue.
Critics have largely warmed to the addition of Minogue in her first TV talent show role, with the Daily Telegraph’s Ed Power calling her “a natural on the coach’s recliner”. But he added that “a sense of volatility” was missing between the new line-up and wondered if “sparks are ever going to fly”. Metro’s Alice Wright deemed the Australian star “a revelation”, describing her as “full of fun and mischief”. Episode two of the second series of ITV’s Splash! saw another batch of famous faces including actor and Boyzone singer Keith Duffy compete from the diving board.
The show features Olympic medallist Tom Daley as a mentor and coach. Its first season last year picked up a regular audience of six million people. Its co-host Gaby Logan has shrugged off concerns that ratings have slipped compared to the first series, saying it “was only down ever so slightly”. “I think across the board telly on the night wasn’t watched as much as it was this time last year,” she added.
The first episode of The Voice’s second series last year was seen by 7.4 million viewers, while the finale - which was won by partially sighted singer Andrea Begley - pulled in an audience of 7.9 million.