Downton Abbey: the season finale inherited viewers from The X Factor results show. Photograph: Nick Briggs/ITV
Downton Abbey's second series bowed out on Sunday night with its best ever overnight audience, topping 10 million viewers on
ITV1 for the first time this autumn into the bargain.
The ITV1
period drama, which ended
with Matthew Crawley's jilted fiancee Lavinia succumbing to Spanish flu, averaged 10.5 million viewers and a 38.8% audience share from 9pm, rising to 10.7 million when ITV1+1 viewing is included.
Downton's final episode was up from
the 10.1 million and 37.7% for the final episode of series in November 2010.
The drama enjoyed a hefty audience inheritance from
The X Factor results show, which averaged 12.1 million viewers and a 41.8% share from 8pm, rising to 12.3 million with ITV1+1,
for a show in which The Risk and Johnny Robinson were sent home.
This was biggest audience yet for the 2011 series of The X Factor – but still some way off the 2010 show at the same stage, which averaged 14.9 million viewers and a 50% share.
Wayne Rooney was among those surprised by The X Factor vote and Frankie Cocozza's survival –
tweeting on Sunday night that he had "just turned x factor off. Disgraceful 1st time I've ever refused to watch it. Bring Simon back."
A few minutes later, the Manchester United and England footballer continued,
referring to the ratings for the 2011 series being down compared with 2010 in the Cowell-less show, tweeting: "No wonder x factor is Down on viewers. Louis Walsh too get him off it."
In the 9pm hour Downton was up against BBC1's repeat of Michael MacIntyre: Hello Wembley! (2.8 million/10.1%), BBC2's extended weather forecast documentary Will It Snow? (2.3 million/8.2%, BBC HD 124,000), Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire (1.5 million/5.3%, C4+1 200,000), and Channel 5's Big Brother (1.2 million/4.3%).
The X Factor faced competition including BBC1's Antiques Roadshow (6.5 million/22.6%), BBC2's Coast repeat (1.2 million/4.3%, BBC HD 65,000), Channel 4's River Cottage Veg (1.1 million/3.8%, C4+1 200,000) and Channel 5's repeat of Paul Merton's Adventures (600,000/2%).
Earlier in the evening, BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing results show, which saw Lulu depart, averaged 10.7 million viewers and a 39.6% share from 7.25pm, against ITV1's The Cube, which had 4.1 million and 15.8%, plus 200,000 on ITV1+1.
Digital shows thrive on Sunday night
Sunday is currently a big night for shows on digital TV channels, with ITV2's The Only Way Is Essex and The Xtra Factor topping 1 million viewers, and E4's Misfits not far shy of that ratings landmark.
These shows made up the top three most watched free to air digital programmes on Sunday, with The Only Way Is Essex averaging 1.424 million and a 7.1% share from 10.15pm, The Xtra Factor 1.240 million and 4.5% from 9pm, and Misfits 963,000 and 4.5% from 10pm (all figures include +1 viewing).
Sunday's biggest shows on pay-TV channels, not unusually, came from Sky Sports 1's live Premier League football, with Tottenham's 3-1 win over Fulham (3.45pm: 1.411 million/8%) and Wolves' 3-1 victory over Wigan (1pm: 832,000/7.7%).
Third spot in pay-TV went to a new episode of The Simpsons on Sky1 (6pm: 754,000/3.5%).
All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, +1 or other – unless otherwise stated. Figures for BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 generally include ratings for their HD simulcast services, unless otherwise stated
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