The latest series of Big Brother is proving a turn-off for viewers, figures confirmed yesterday.
The show won an audience of only 3.2 million on Monday, leaving it trounced in the ratings by the ITV's reality rival Hell's Kitchen, which was watched by 7.8 million.
ITV said that Gordon Ramsay's celebrity cooking challenge also fared better on Sunday night, with 4.9 million viewers to Big Brother's 3.6 million.
The surprising slump in ratings for the Channel 4 showpiece comes only days after the opening programme pulled in an audience of about seven million on Friday.
It had been hoped that changes to the format and a group of housemates regarded as the strangest ever would help to boost ratings.
An ITV spokeswoman said: "We're pleased with the impact Hell's Kitchen has had in its first week."
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