Bodyguard adds another million viewers for new overnight ratings high

Bodyguard has continued to grow in popularity, as the drama drew an additional million viewers with its penultimate episode.

Sunday night’s episode of the BBC One series had an average of eight million tune in, with a peak of 8.3 million, according to overnight ratings.

The hour-long programme had an audience share of 38.2%.

Last week’s episode of the political thriller, starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes, was watched by an average of seven million viewers, with a peak of 7.2 million and share of 34%.

This was an increase on the previous week’s average audience of 6.6 million in overnight ratings.

Bodyguard has been hailed as the biggest new drama on British television in more than a decade, achieving consolidated viewing figures (which includes recordings) of 10.4 million for its first episode.

The series, written by Line Of Duty’s Jed Mercurio, sees Madden playing protection officer David Budd, who is assigned to controversial Home Secretary Julia Montague (Hawes).

Viewers were left stunned earlier in the series when Montague died after being targeted by a bomb during a speech, leaving a troubled Budd to try to find her killer.

Following Sunday’s episode, some fans now believe that Montague may be alive, due to her having a small, private funeral.

Some viewers also suggested that Montague may still be alive because Budd discovers a tablet containing sensitive information hidden behind a picture at her apartment.

Fans on Twitter said that it implied Montague had left it for him – and that she was therefore alive.

A dramatic teaser trailer for the final episode shows Budd covered in blood while the stand-in Home Secretary Mike Travis (Vincent Franklin) says: “Look no further for Julia’s assassin.”

The trailer appears to hint that Budd is at the centre of allegations over Montague’s death, and ends with him loading a gun.

The finale of Bodyguard airs on Sunday September 23.