Coronation Street has taken a bite out of The Great British Bake Off in the TV ratings thanks to its shocking live episode.
Some 8.369 million viewers tuned in to watch the special episode of the ITV soap, which saw drug dealer Callum Logan killed off in a surprising twist, giving the channel a 38 per cent share of viewing figures.
The BBC's hit baking show pulled in 8.366 million viewers, taking a 35 per cent share of the audience, but lost more 1.6 million viewers to Corrie.
(Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/BBC)
Bake Off – starring celebrity judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood and innuendo-loving hosts Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc – had previously enjoyed a 44 per cent share of viewing figures, with almost 10 million tuning in to see which contestant would crumble under the pressure in the previous episode.
Coronation Street's one-hour live special to celebrate 60 years of ITV saw Callum, played by Sean Ward, killed off in the first 15 minutes by his former girlfriend Kylie Platt (Paula Lane).
Sean said he was "gutted" to be leaving the show, adding: "It’s been phenomenal playing Callum."
Sean Ward as Callum Logan (ITV Pictures)
There were no noticeable mistakes in the live broadcast other than a slight sound problem when Craig Tinker (played by Colson Smith) had a chat with Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) and a minor camera wobble in the opening five minutes.
The quarter finals of The Great British Bake Off – which began at 8pm on BBC One, overlapping with Corrie for half an hour – saw prison governor Paul Jagger sent home after he disappointed the judges with his banana cream horns and his choux pastry tower collapsed.
