17 million witness Street’s killer strike again
An audience of 17 million tuned in to see Coronation Street killer Richard Hillman claim his latest victim, figures showed today.
They watched him bludgeon hairdresser Maxine Peacock to death in last night’s gripping second instalment of the ITV soap.
The 8.30pm episode drew a peak audience of 17 million and an average of 15.6 million, according to unofficial overnight figures.
The first episode at 7.30pm, which ended with Maxine stumbling in on Richard attacking Emily Bishop, had 16 million viewers at its peak and an average of 15.3 million.
It was the highest audience for Coronation Street since January 2001, when 15.6 million saw Deirdre tell Mike Baldwin he had a secret son.
Meanwhile EastEnders, which was sandwiched between the two Coronation Street episodes, drew a peak 14.6 million viewers and an average of 13.7 million.
A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: “We are delighted with the figures. Tricky Dickie has killed off the opposition.”
The highest-rated Coronation Street episode ever was at Christmas 1986 when 26 million tuned in to see Hilda Ogden leave Weatherfield.
