BBC reports record viewing figures for Wales v England rugby

The BBC One audience for the Wales v England match on Saturday (16 March) was the highest ever in Wales for a Six Nations game, exceeding the previous record of one million viewers on BBC One for the Wales v France Grand Slam match in 2008.

The peak audience of 1.1 million during the Wales v England match is the third-highest TV audience in Wales this century.

Geoff Williams, head of sport at BBC Cymru Wales, says: “These extraordinary figures reflect the public’s passion and pride for Welsh rugby and are an indication of the appreciation of the BBC’s expert coverage. The occasion, especially the singing of the anthems, transcended mere sports coverage – it was a national event.

“In the wake of Saturday’s result, it is perhaps all too easy to forget that our coverage of the campaign is such a central part of what makes the tournament so special for so many in Wales. It was the concluding chapter of two months of comprehensive coverage across all our services.”

The most popular programme in Wales since 2000 was the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony with 1.43 million viewers, followed by the 2012 Olympics Closing Ceremony, which attracted 1.33 million viewers.