King’s Coronation beats BBC thriller’s dramatic finale to top 2023 TV ratings & I’m A Celeb final is pipped by Bake Off
THE King’s coronation was the most-watched telly show of 2023, while Barbie has been voted best film.
The BBC’s coverage of Charles III’s crowning at Westminster Abbey in May was viewed by a total of 12.8million, according to new figures.
It pipped the 11.9million who watched the dramatic February finale of BBC police thriller Happy Valley.
The Eurovision Song Contest final in May was third with 10.7million.
Meanwhile, Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off beat ITV’s I’m A Celebrity and BBC’s Strictly in the viewing stakes.
ITV drama Unforgotten also featured in the year’s telly top ten, which included two of Sir David Attenborough’s nature epics, Planet Earth III and Wild Isles.
A telly insider said last night: “Three of the biggest shows were actually non-Beeb and millions watched the King’s Coronation via other channels and services.
“So it wasn’t a complete BBC wipeout.”
Meanwhile a poll by 75,000 readers of culture website Digital Spy voted Barbie as the year’s best movie.
Margot Robbie also landed the best actor gong for the lead role.
Its musical number, I’m Just Ken, performed by Ryan Gosling, was Best Film Moment.
But its box office rival, the Christopher Nolan epic Oppenheimer, won nothing.
Happy Valley also triumphed in the Digital Spy awards.
The showdown between cop Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire, and her nemesis Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton) won Best TV Moment and Most Impactful TV Death.
This Morning and Bake Off host Alison Hammond was Best Presenter while Strictly won the Reality TV gong.
Awards were handed out in a dozen categories — with eight going to streamers including Netflix and Apple TV+.