This 7-day consolidated rating leaves the episode in around the middle when it comes to viewership this season, with it getting more viewers than Boom, Dot and Bubble, Rogue and The Legend of Ruby Sunday.
It got less viewers than Space Babies and The Devil’s Chord, which were both released on the same day on BBC iPlayer, and 73 Yards, which was the season’s high-mark when it comes to viewership.
Showrunner Russell T Davies and the BBC itself have both commented on the show’s recent ratings, with Davies saying that “it’s not doing that well in the ratings, but it is doing phenomenally well with the younger audience that we wanted”.
Meanwhile, a BBC spokeswoman told The Times: “Overnight ratings no longer provide an accurate picture of all those who watch drama in an on-demand world.
“This season of Doctor Who premiered on iPlayer nearly 24 hours before broadcast, and episode 1 has already been viewed by nearly 6 million viewers and continues to grow.
“Doctor Who remains one of the most-watched programmes on iPlayer and is the BBC’s top drama for under-35s this year, making it one of the biggest programmes for the demographic across all streamers and broadcasters.”
Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor will next be seen in Christmas special Joy to the World, which has been written by former showrunner Steven Moffat and which Davies has described as “one of the maddest Christmas specials you’ll ever see”.
Doctor Who will return at Christmas on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Previous seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer with episodes of the classic series also available on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial here.
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