Strong start for Rock's sitcom

Chris Rock’s new sitcom Everybody Hates Chris has almsot doubled Channel Five’s audience.

The channel normally attracts around 1.1 million viewers in the 8pm to 9pm slot on Sunday nights.

But yesterday, the first episode of the sitcom about Rock’s tough childhood as the only black kid in a white Brooklyn school, attracted 2 million viewers.

Episode two, which aired straight afterwards, was seen by 1.8 million people, according to unofficial overnight figures.

The show nudged Five into fourth place in the ratings, narrowily beating   Channel 4's American import, Invasion, which drew 1.7 million viewers.

Everybody Hates Chris is narrated by the acclaimed stand-up, but he does not appear in the show.

Published: 20 Mar 2006