BBC Two show tops 2million

Sarah Millican’s first TV programme has proved a ratings hit.

The talk show – which last night featured guests Chris Packham, the wildlife expert, and sex therapist Tracey Cox – attracted 2.1million viewers to BBC Two.

That was more than ten per cent of the total TV audience at the time and, crucially, up 81 per cent on the average figure the channel gets for the 10pm Thursday-night slot.

Reviews were largely positive, too, with critics instantly warming to Millican, even if they saw problems with the show.

The Guardian said: ‘Her deadpan asides and sudden glances to camera have a touch of Eric Morecambe and her sudden shut-downs are things of beauty impossible to reproduce in print. The format's not right yet, but once it is, hopefully television will become Millican's world and we can live in it.’

Likewise, The Independent concluded: ‘Her delivery is a bit tele-prompter stiff for the straight-to-camera sections and the format is a bit woolly (bit of Harry Hill telly commentary, bit of Graham Norton tease-the-guest), but she's funny.’

The Daily Telegraph was more unequivocally positive, saying ‘Millican pinpoints her humour with the precision of a heart surgeon’, while Metro’s opinion was: ‘She does a nice line in filth... but too often she plays it safe.’

Published: 9 Mar 2012