The live broadcast of the final ever performance of the Monty Python Live (mostly): One Down Five to Go stage show has broken ratings records for UKTV’s Gold channel, TVWise has learned.
The live show attracted an overnight audience of 700 000 viewers, making it the highest ever rating commission for Gold in the overnights. The size of the audience is expected to grow further once consolidated figures are available. UKTV also noted that Monty Python Live (mostly): One Down Five to Go was a trending topic on Twitter throughout the night.
“Last night was not only a defining moment in the history of Monty Python; it was also a defining moment for Gold”, said Steve North, General Manager of Gold. “I’m immensely proud that Gold has been able to bring such a momentous occasion to our viewers, live, as it happened. It was a tremendous achievement by everybody involved and it marks the next step in Gold’s evolution.”
UKTV announced plans to broadcast the final stage show several weeks ago and paired the event with a backstage pre-show hosted by Dara O’Briain and featuring such talent as Steve Coogan, Brian Cox and Warwick Davies. The live show was censored by UKTV for offensive remarks, per Ofcom regulations, as it was going out pre-watershed; an uncut version will air on Gold this Tuesday at 9pm.
The company has also commissioned Phil McIntyre Television, in association with Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd, to produce a 5 episode series which explores the nation’s favourite Monty Python sketches and the effect that they have had on the comedy world. The series, which is currently untitled, will air on Gold this autumn.
