Doctor Who finale 7-day ratings confirmed for Empire of Death
The final ratings for Doctor Who season 14 are in.
The final 7-day ratings for an episode of Doctor Who season 14 are in, with the season finale, Empire of Death, being watched by 3.69 million people across the period.
The episode was originally watched overnight by 2.25 million people, but this didn't account for iPlayer viewings, which as a proportion have been up considerably this season, due to the show's new release schedule.
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.
Read more:
- Doctor Who showrunner almost dropped Susan Foreman reference
- Doctor Who showrunner promises “astonishing reveals” surrounding Mrs Flood
"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".
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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.
Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.