Over 11 million watch Friday sitcoms

Both BBC1 and ITV1 managed to notch up great ratings on Friday. Despite going head-to-head in the schedules at 9pm, both My Family and Benidorm pulled in sizeable audiences.

The first episode of the eight series of BBC1 blockbuster sitcom My Family showed the long-running comedy is still as popular as ever. It attracted 5.9 million, a 25% share, between 9pm and 9.30pm according to unofficial overnight ratings.

In a risky move for both broadcasters, Benidorm went out directly against this on ITV1. Despite going head-to-head with Fred Baron's sitcom, the Spanish-based comedy only lost 500,000 viewers leaving it with a very respectable 5.6 million, and a 23% share.

However half-an-hour later Adrian Edmondson's new sitcom Teenage Kicks was no match for a repeat of The Vicar of Dibley. Richard Curtis' religion-based sitcom pulled in 4.7 million (a 21% share) while over on ITV1 Teenage Kicks managed only 3.4 million (a 15% share). It should however be noted that Teenage Kicks is still performing quite well - even though it has lost 400,000 viewers this week, it is up on the recent slot average.

Next week My Family shifts to the 9:30pm slot to make way for the new series of Have I Got News For You.