This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/25/game-of-thrones-season-six-sky-ratings-premiere

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Game of Thrones season six poised to be Sky's biggest ever launch Game of Thrones season six poised to be Sky's biggest ever launch
(4 months later)
Winter is coming – and so are the overnight TV ratings for the new series of Game of Thrones, which debuted in the UK with an early morning simulcast on Sky Atlantic (to coincide with HBO in the US) to be followed by a primetime repeat on Monday night.Winter is coming – and so are the overnight TV ratings for the new series of Game of Thrones, which debuted in the UK with an early morning simulcast on Sky Atlantic (to coincide with HBO in the US) to be followed by a primetime repeat on Monday night.
Last year’s fifth season opener drew more than 1.5 million viewers on Sky Atlantic, double the number who tuned in for its first series debut in 2011.Last year’s fifth season opener drew more than 1.5 million viewers on Sky Atlantic, double the number who tuned in for its first series debut in 2011.
It was the second time the show has returned with more than 1 million viewers after 1.2 million tuned in for the fourth series in 2014.It was the second time the show has returned with more than 1 million viewers after 1.2 million tuned in for the fourth series in 2014.
Related: Game of Thrones nudity: study backs Emilia Clarke's call to #FreeTheP
But like trying to tell the future by looking into the flames, it’s not always been entirely straightforward.But like trying to tell the future by looking into the flames, it’s not always been entirely straightforward.
The first series debuted with 743,000 back in 2011, only to dip to 522,000 viewers for the start of series two and was still making up lost ground when 710,000 people watched the third series in 2013.The first series debuted with 743,000 back in 2011, only to dip to 522,000 viewers for the start of series two and was still making up lost ground when 710,000 people watched the third series in 2013.
Overnight UK ratings for the eagerly anticipated sixth series launch will not be available until Tuesday (and in the US rather earlier).Overnight UK ratings for the eagerly anticipated sixth series launch will not be available until Tuesday (and in the US rather earlier).
Box set and on-demand viewing means the overnight figures – the number of people who watched it live or within a few hours of transmission – no longer tell the whole picture, but are still a key barometer of a show’s popularity.Box set and on-demand viewing means the overnight figures – the number of people who watched it live or within a few hours of transmission – no longer tell the whole picture, but are still a key barometer of a show’s popularity.
It’s all relative too – as a pay-TV channel, Sky Atlantic’s audiences remain a fraction of the mainstream – BBC1’s The Night Manager had overnight audiences of 6 million, for instance.It’s all relative too – as a pay-TV channel, Sky Atlantic’s audiences remain a fraction of the mainstream – BBC1’s The Night Manager had overnight audiences of 6 million, for instance.
But it’s solid gold for Sky. This time last year we said its record audience of 1.6 million viewers – 43 times Sky Atlantic’s slot average – was the moment the one-time cult hit went truly mainstream. But how many will season six get?But it’s solid gold for Sky. This time last year we said its record audience of 1.6 million viewers – 43 times Sky Atlantic’s slot average – was the moment the one-time cult hit went truly mainstream. But how many will season six get?
Related: Game of Thrones: latest episode leaks online before TV premiere
Game of numbersGame of numbers
2011 Began with 743,000 viewers making it Sky Atlantic’s most popular show to date, beating the previous highest, the 438,000 who watched the first episode of Martin Scorsese’s Boardwalk Empire.2011 Began with 743,000 viewers making it Sky Atlantic’s most popular show to date, beating the previous highest, the 438,000 who watched the first episode of Martin Scorsese’s Boardwalk Empire.
2012 Dipped to 522,000 viewers for season two, more than five times the 98,000 viewers who watched that year’s double episode opener of the new series of Mad Men.2012 Dipped to 522,000 viewers for season two, more than five times the 98,000 viewers who watched that year’s double episode opener of the new series of Mad Men.
2013 Improved on the previous year to 710,000 viewers but not quite the high of series one. It was 1,700% up on Sky Atlantic’s slot average for the previous three months.2013 Improved on the previous year to 710,000 viewers but not quite the high of series one. It was 1,700% up on Sky Atlantic’s slot average for the previous three months.
2014 Totalled 1.2 million viewers including 9,000 people who watched the 2am simulcast, and another half a million who recorded it and watched it later (and 675,000 people who waited until 9pm). Complicated enough?2014 Totalled 1.2 million viewers including 9,000 people who watched the 2am simulcast, and another half a million who recorded it and watched it later (and 675,000 people who waited until 9pm). Complicated enough?
2015 Returned with a record audience of nearly 1.6 million viewers. Unusually for a pay-TV channel, it was popular enough to beat both BBC2 and Channel 5.2015 Returned with a record audience of nearly 1.6 million viewers. Unusually for a pay-TV channel, it was popular enough to beat both BBC2 and Channel 5.