Long Lost Family beats Love Island in the ratings… just!

By David Hollingsworth
( What's on TV )
published

Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell are united in trying to reunite families on Long Lost Family

It was close!

Long Lost Family, which returned for a new series on ITV on Monday, narrowly beat Love Island in the TV ratings.

A respectable 3.2 million people, according to Broadcast, tuned in to see presenters Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell make more emotional reunions.

Normally ITV easily beats its sister channel ITV2 in the ratings, but Love Island is a powerhouse for ITV2 and on Monday it picked up an amazing 2.8 million viewers.

More: New Top Gear hosts Freddie and Paddy reveal all about the new series

Love Island host Caroline Flack

Caroline Flack's Love Island continues to be a monster hit for ITV2

If it was ever switched to ITV, Love Island would surely draw a huge audience.

Long Lost Family has been a big hit for ITV over the years, but it only narrowly beat BBC1’s War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita in the ratings.

Hugh and Anita

Hugh and Anita have had enough of plastic!

The documentary, which saw Anita Rani and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall start their three-part mission to combat the dangers that plastic poses to our ocean life, drew 3.1 million viewers.

Showing the continuing power of the soaps, Coronation Street on Monday, which saw David Platt and Nick square up, attracted the biggest audience of the night with 6.1 million viewers.

David Hollingsworth
David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.


Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 


David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.


Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!