Unofficial overnight figures show that the fourth episode of series 3, part two of The Mad Woman in the Attic, was watched by 0.8 million viewers, with an audience share of 7%.

The rating is the highest the series has received so far, with the first half getting 0.6 million viewers and the second half 0.8 million.

Final figures will include those who record the programme and watch it within seven days, and will be released by BARB in two weeks time.

The BBC Trust has approved an additional £25.5million investment in BBC Children's programming over three years, in order to secure high quality productions such as The Sarah Jane Adventures, which may have been at risk as a result of pressures on budgets.

Jana Bennett, Director BBC Vision, has welcomed the BBC Trust's endorsement of the package of initiatives designed to strengthen the role of the BBC as the cornerstone of home-produced children's output in the UK. The package is in response to the Trust's recommendations laid out in February 2009, and aims to reinforce the creative strength of BBC Children's and help the CBBC Channel maintain its position. Bennett said: "I am incredibly proud of the creative strength of CBeebies and CBBC and the unique value to children they bring. They empower, entertain and reflect the lives of children in this country through consistently high-quality, home-grown programmes."

The package includes continued monitoring of the CBBC block of programmes on BBC One together with a development of a daytime show that could play for half an hour at 5.30pm weekdays. If one is found and is successful, over the next two years the BBC will consider reinstating programmes such as The Sarah Jane Adventures, Blue Peter and Newsround to their original times around 5pm. Series One of The Sarah Jane Adventures was shown in this later slot and achieved 50% higher ratings than the shows shown at the current time of 4.35pm.

Bennett added: "We are seeking to balance the interests of viewers in supporting a strong 6 O'Clock News and protecting children's programmes."

Unofficial overnight figures show that the third episode of the series, part one of The Mad Woman in the Attic, was watched by 0.6 million viewers, with an audience share of 5.7%.

The rating is almost identical to that the series received last week, with the first half getting 0.5 million viewers and the second half 0.7 million.

Final figures will include those who record the programme and watch it within seven days, and will be released by BARB in two weeks time.

Prisoner of the Judoon achieved an Appreciation Index of 81 for Part One and 86 for Part Two. Both scores are much higher than the average score for children's television, which is 72. Friday's score was the second highest on BBC One for the day. AI scores for Series Two ranged from 75 to 86.

The Appreciation Index is a measure of how much the audience enjoyed the programme.

Season Two ratings and AI can be found here.

Episode Two of Prisoner of the Judoon was watched by 0.7 million viewers on BBC One yesterday, according to unofficial overnight figures. The audience share was 7.2%, an increase over the share for part one.

Ratings increased during the programme with a slight drop off after it finished. The programme got more than double that achieved in the same slot the previous week when Hotel Trubble gained 0.3 million.

Final figures will include those who record the programme and watch it within seven days, and will be released by BARB in two weeks time.

Unofficial overnight figures show that episode one of Prisoner of the Judoon was watched by 0.6 million viewers. The audience share was 5.9%. An extra 40,000 people watched in high definition on the BBC HD channel.

The rating is similar to that which The Sarah Jane Adventures received in the same slot last year. It is around 50% higher than the average for the timeslot on BBC One. Last week's edition of SMart achieved 0.4 million.

Final figures will include those who record the programme and watch it within seven days, and will be released by BARB in two weeks time.

The BBC have published a trailer for the forthcoming Series Three of the Sarah Jane Adventures. The 2m37s video preview features many of the cast and monsters due to be seen during the next six weeks on BBC1/BBCHD.

Note: video may not play outside of the United Kingdom.

The BBC Press Office has released a video preview of the forthcoming new season of children's programme for the autumn and winter. The third series of Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures is one of the productions heavily featured, with several clips from the new run of episodes, which begin on BBC One next month. The drama, starring Elisabeth Sladen as former companion Sarah Jane Smith, will feature a guest appearance from David Tennant in one two-part story. This was the final work Tennant completed as the Tenth Doctor, produced after he had finished his final run of Doctor Who specials.

The BBC has confirmed that Series Three of The Sarah Jane Adventures will start on BBC1 at 4.35pm on Thursday 15th October. Part Two will follow on the Friday afternoon.


You can now follow the Doctor Who News Page on

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine confirms that series three of The Sarah Jane Adventures will premier in the UK on Thursday 15 October.

In a change to previous years the programme will air on BBC1 twice weekly, with the series being shown on Thursdays and Fridays for its six week run.

Final schedules have yet to be confirmed by the BBC and are subject to change.

You can now follow the Doctor Who News Page on