6.7MILLION tune in to The Bodyguard making it the most-watched new drama launch of 2018
New BBC drama Bodyguard has scored the highest overnight audience for a drama launch this year by more than one million viewers.
And off the back of its success, writer Jed Mercurio teased a second series could already be in the pipeline.
The creator of Line Of Duty took to Twitter on Sunday after the first episode, offering former Home Secretary Amber Rudd a cameo if another series was commissioned.
It’s a hit! New BBC drama Bodyguard has scored the highest overnight audience for a drama launch this year by more than one million viewers
The new six-part series starring Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden debuted on Sunday night at 9pm to an average overnight rating of 6.7 million and an audience share of 35%, the BBC said. The programme peaked with 6.9 million viewers.
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Ahead of the show Amber Rudd, 55, wrote an article in The Sunday Times, detailing her personal experiences of working with her bodyguard during her time as Home Secretary.
Delighted with the response to the political thriller, Jed shared the article, writing: ‘Thanks to Amber Rudd for an interesting and thought provoking article on Bodyguard. Maybe she’ll honour us with a cameo appearance if we get a second series!’
In the works? Off the back of its success, writer Jed Mercurio teased a second series could already be in the pipeline
Exciting: The creator of Line Of Duty took to Twitter on Sunday after the first episode, offering former Home Secretary Amber Rudd a cameo if another series was commissioned
Bodyguard was also the most-watched broadcast of Sunday night, ahead of the News at 10pm on BBC One, which had an average audience of 5.1 million.
The second most-watched new drama launch of the year so far is BBC One’s McMafia, which had an average overnight audience of 5.6m when it aired on New Year’s Day, while ITV dramas Innocent and Girlfriends opened with 5.3 million and 5.2 million average viewers respectively.
The series, penned by Jed, sees Ashes To Ashes star Hawes play fictional home secretary Julia Montague while Game Of Thrones actor Madden is the bodyguard assigned to protect her.
Gripping: The six-part series starring Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden debuted on Sunday night at 9pm to an average overnight rating of 6.7 million and an audience share of 35%
The dramatic first instalment focused on an attempted bombing on a London train.
Viewers were highly entertained by the political thriller’s first episode, with some taking to Twitter to say they were gripped and could not wait for the second episode.
‘Opening twenty minutes most tense drama this year,’ wrote one viewer on Twitter. ‘Richard Madden is immense and Keeley Hawes is as excellent as ever.’
Another posted: ‘#Bodyguard was brilliant!! omg literally on the edge of my seat!!’
Getting it on: Monday night’s second episode saw Miss Hawes’s character and her bodyguard David Budd rip their clothes off for two steamy trysts
Monday night’s second episode saw Miss Hawes’s character and her bodyguard David Budd rip their clothes off for two steamy trysts.
Following an attempted assassination on the Home Secretary, as her car was repeatedly shot at by a sniper on the roof of an office building, the pair were then given adjoining rooms for security reasons.
Budd entered the Home Secretary’s room, swiftly took off his shirt and removed her trousers while kissing her neck in an intimate embrace. As the passion continued, Miss Montague said: ‘Your job and my job, it just makes things complicated.’
Convincing portrayal: The series, penned by Jed, sees Ashes To Ashes star Hawes play fictional home secretary Julia Montague
‘Nothing complicates my job, it’s to protect you,’ Budd responded. Despite the intimate scenes, it is still unclear what will happen between the duo, as Budd secretly holds a political grudge against her because of his time as a soldier serving in Afghanistan.
The episode also portrayed a horrifying attack on a primary school in South London attended by Budd’s two children.
Two terrorists try to drive a white van towards the gates but heavily armed officers open fire as it approaches.
Terrifying: The episode also portrayed a horrifying attack on a primary school in South London attended by Budd’s two children
While the driver is killed instantly, the other assailant is still conscious.
Unknown to the police the van contains explosives which are then detonated, killing five people at the scene.
As the van explodes, children are seen screaming and running into a classroom to take cover as windows shatter and teachers try to shield them.
The scenes were shown less than two weeks after a car was driven at cyclists in Westminster, and a year after eight people died in the London Bridge terror attack.
The drama’s creator Jed Mercurio has said of such scenes: ‘It’s very contemporary and obviously we want to handle that in the most sensitive way, but also in a way that does feel authentic.’
Hard-hitting: The drama’s creator Jed Mercurio has said of such scenes: ‘It’s very contemporary and obviously we want to handle that in the most sensitive way’
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