Viewers shun Church for Ross

Last updated at 17:06 11 September 2006


Jonathan Ross has beaten Charlotte Church in the battle of the Friday night chat shows.

Friday Night With Jonathan Ross pulled in 4.3 million viewers when it returned for a new series on BBC1 with guests Ricky Gervais, Julie Walters, and Big Brother's Pete and Nikki.

Over on Channel 4, the second outing for The Charlotte Church Show managed just 1.7 million.

The ratings were down on her debut, which attracted 2.1 million viewers.

Church, 20, has received mixed reviews for her chat show, which also includes sketches and hidden camera stunts.

The former "Voice Of An Angel" was handed her own series after impressing TV bosses as guest host of Have I Got News For You?

Ross, 45, began his career with Channel 4 as host of late-night Eighties show The Last Resort.

He recently signed a three-year deal with the BBC worth a reported £18 million.

Chat show king Michael Parkinson launched a thinly veiled attack on Church last week, criticising the young, dumbed down female presenters who are ever-present on today's television.

The 71-year-old veteran said there was an insidious sexism in British television which meant intelligent, older women were rarely given plum, prime-time shows on the box.

He contrasted the situation here with America, where the likes of Barbara Walters, 74, and 52-year-old Oprah Winfrey are two of the biggest - and most influential - figures in broadcasting.

"There should be more mature, intelligent women on British television," Parkinson said.

"After all, there are plenty of us men around. When you look at American television, there are quite a few women my age who make witty, clever television presenters - Barbara Walters, for example.

Other aspiring presenters to feel the sharp end of his tongue include the former footballer Ian Wright ('a pillock'), Melinda Messenger ('a pair of plastic boobs') and the Duchess of York.

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