X marks the spot - Saturday Viewing Roundup

ITV1's audience shot up at 7.25pm with the fourth instalment of The X Factor bringing in 8.2m (41.5%) for an hour. The entertainment show hit a sizeable 15 minute peak of 8.8m (45.7%) at 8pm.

At the time BBC1 was left trailing, with a Weakest Link Special in the same slot only bringing in 3.8m (19.6%).

The commercial network kept ahead of its nearest rival at 8.25pm thanks to the return of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

The 75-minute game show entertained a respectable 6.3m (29.2%) with a high of 6.9m (31.5%) at 9.15pm. The show was some way above the slot average of 4.8m (22.8%).

Good news, bad news

Although it performed well, the opening edition of the show was down by 800,000 viewers on the 7.1m (33.9%) that saw the start of the last series.

The episode on 16 September 2006 started in an earlier slot of 7.45pm.

Saturday Night Takeaway had the edge over the return of BBC1 drama series Casualty. The My First Day storyline, which saw the introduction of new character Toby De Silva, managed to gain 5.7m (26.4%), in line with the channel's slot average.

ITV1's viewers dropped off at 9.40pm with the sixth part of Hell's Kitchen bringing in 3.9 (19%).

Proving to be more popular was BBC1's coverage of the Last Night of the Proms at 9.15pm bringing in a loyal 4.6m (21.7%).

Promenading

BBC2 devoted a large chunk of its peaktime schedule to coverage of the Last Night of the Proms. Between 7.30pm and 9.15pm 1.6m (7.5%) tuned in. The ensuing final part of British Film Forever gained 1.8m (8.4%).

Five lined up a selection of US drama imports with NCIS at 8.15pm on 1.2m (5.3%) which was followed by CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on 1.9m (8.8%) an hour later.

Channel 4's movie Hide and Seek, starring Robert De Niro, at 9.15pm appealed to 1.6m (8%).

All hours shares for Saturday 8 September 2007: BBC1 – 24.3%, ITV1 – 18.5%, BBC2 – 8%, C4 – 5.7%, Five – 5%, multichannel – 38.5%.

Source: Broadcast Now