21 July 2014
700,000 viewers tune into Monty Python Live (mostly): One Down Five to Go
The highly-anticipated live broadcast from the O2 of the final ever performance of the Monty Python Live (mostly): One Down Five to Go stage show, proved a ratings smash-hit for UKTV channel Gold last night with over 700,000 individuals tuning in, making it the highest ever rating commission for Gold (live viewing), and staying in Twitter's trending topics through out the night.
Stephen Hawking and Mike Myers made special appearances in the landmark three hour live broadcast, which included a star-studded backstage programme including Steve Coogan, Brian Cox and Warwick Davies, and presented by Dara O Briain, followed by the Python's stage show finale.
Steve North, General Manager for Gold said,
Last night was not only a defining moment in the history of Monty Python; it was also a defining moment for 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.
Gold is following last night's live broadcast with a special five part series in the autumn, produced by Phil McIntyre Television in association with Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd, which will celebrate the nation's favourite Monty Python's Flying Circus sketches and the effect they have had on the comedy world. It will include the very best footage from their TV programmes and insights from some of the biggest names in comedy on the extraordinary influence of the Pythons.
Gold has enjoyed recent success with Porridge: Behind Bars which was up 124% on slot average and viewers have a brand new series of Gold's first original sitcom, You, Me and Them, starring Anthony Head and Eva Myles, to look forward to early next year.
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Notes to Editors
About Gold (Sky 110, Virgin 126, TalkTalk 408, Top-Up TV 20)
Dedicated to celebrating the best of British comedy, Gold is the nation's favourite comedy channel. Much-loved comedy series such as Only Fools and Horses, The Vicar of Dibley and Outnumbered sit alongside successful commissions including Porridge: Inside Out, Yes, Prime Minister, The Comic Strip Presents: Five Go To Rehab (starring Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders) and Bring Me Morecambe and Wise. The perfect tonic to make you laugh whatever the time of day, Gold shows universally funny content that everyone can enjoy.
About UKTV
UKTV is the multi-award winning media company that reaches over 42 million viewers per month.
UKTV's ten imaginative channel brands - Watch, Dave, Gold, Alibi, Eden, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home and Good Food - include the most watched non-PSB channel, the most watched channel in the Factual genre and the most watched channels in the Lifestyle genre (Pay and Free). The company's most recent financial results showed a record-breaking year-end revenue of £262m, and operating profit at £71m.
UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC and Channel 4 content, and embracing technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT TV, TalkTalk, YouView, plus direct On Demand digital services. The network distributes its highly valued programmes to 200 territories around the world and supplies Sky with more hours of HD content than anyone else.
Now celebrating its 21st year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.