The Walking Dead sets Fox UK ratings record

The Walking Dead has averaged over one million viewers for Fox UK, giving the channel its best-ever numbers and beating free-to-air entertainment shows in the same, Monday 9pm slot.

The zombie apocalypse series continues to set ratings records on AMC in the US and it is now the most-watched programme on US TV.

In the UK the first half of season five, which has just entered a midseason break, it has averaged a consolidated 1.3 million viewers per episode and two million when repeat viewing numbers are factored in.

The peak consolidated viewer number for the first half of season five was 2.1 million.

The first instalment of the zombie show in the UK garnered 792,000 overnight viewers and 1.4 million consolidated, making it the most-watched show in Fox UK’s history. The second episode then beat that with 822,000 viewers.

Cecilia Beacon, director of broadcasting and Marketing, FIC UK, said: “With a dedicated and passionate fan base, our programming strategy of airing just 24 hours after the US has proven to be a huge hit with viewers.”

Season five of The Walking Dead has performed strongly internationally. Fox International Channels has global rights to the series and Entertainment One handles distribution.