Boxing Day Ratings: 7 million watch Royal Bodyguard

David Jason’s new BBC comedy, The Royal Bodyguard, got off to a flying start last night with over 7 million viewers while the Christmas Special of Mrs Brown’s Boys (pictured right) pulled in its highest audience to date.

Boxing Day proved to be a strong evening in terms of ratings for BBC One with its range of programming rating well. The BBC’s updated version of The Borrowers, which starred Victoria Wood, Stephen Fry and Christopher Eccleston, had 5.3 million viewers between 7.30pm and 9pm. Sir David Jason’s brand new comedy The Royal Bodyguard launched with an impressive 7.05 million viewers at 9.30pm. Irish comedy Mrs Brown’s Boys kicked off its second series at 10pm with a Christmas Special. The comedy, written by and starring Brendan O’Carroll pulled in its biggest audience for BBC One to date with an 6.6 million viewers.

Elsewhere last night a new episode of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, starring David Suchet, pulled in 4.2 million viewers for ITV1. Although the episode, an adaptation of the novel The Clocks, hadn’t been broadcast on TV before it has already been released on DVD in a box-set containing fellow adaptations Murder on the Orient Express, Three Act Tragedy and Hallowe’en Party.