Doctor Who returned to BBC1 with fewer than 5 million viewers on Saturday, more than 2 million down on Peter Capaldi’s debut last year and understood to be its lowest series opener since the show’s return a decade ago.



The first episode of the new series, The Magician’s Apprentice, had an overnight audience of 4.6 million viewers, a 22% share of the audience from 7.40pm on Saturday.

It was beaten by an enemy even more terrifying than Davros – Simon Cowell – whose X Factor had 7.3 million viewers (32%) on ITV from 8pm.



A day after Jenna Coleman, who plays the Doctor’s assistant Clara Oswald, confirmed she would be leaving, it was 2.2 million viewers down on the 6.8 million (33%) who saw Capaldi’s full series debut last year.

It was also the lowest audience for any autumn series opener since Doctor Who returned with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role in 2005.

However, its audience will be considerably bigger in the consolidated ratings, which include people who recorded the show and watched it in the subsequent seven days.

The previous lowest audience is the 5.5 million who watched on the first weekend of 2011, when Matt Smith was the Doctor and the show returned was returning for the second half of that year’s run.

The 2011 series began in April with 6.5 million viewers, a 37% share.

Saturday’s head to head will be the last time Doctor Who goes up against The X Factor for the next month, with the Cowell show shifting its attention to Sundays to make way for ITV’s coverage of the Rugby World Cup.