The dramatic Love Island finale on Monday night marked a champagne moment for ITV 2 as it became the channel’s most-watched show ever.
An average audience of 2.6 million viewers tuned in to watch loved-up couple Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies crowned series winners, exactly double the number that watched Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey take the coveted title last year.
According to the broadcaster, the peak rating of 2.9 million viewers, over both ITV 2 from 9pm and ITV2 + 1, proved to be the channel’s biggest on-the-night audience to date.
After an incredible summer of love, you've chosen Kem and Amber as the worthy WINNERS of #LoveIsland 2017! 🍾🏆💛 pic.twitter.com/UKzRa43Fo0
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) July 24, 2017
The highest proportion of viewers (690,000) were in the 16-24 age group. Bosses claimed that more than half (52.3%) of viewers in that age bracket switched on to Love Island during the time slot, a share that comes second this year only to the televised One Love Manchester concert last month.
ITV also said that it dominated the 9pm time slot over other terrestrial channels when taking into account the 6.9 million average audience that tuned into Diana, Our Mother – Her Life And Legacy on the main ITV channel.
The hard-hitting documentary saw royal brothers Prince Harry and the Duke of Cambridge talk about the loss of their mother in the lead-up to the 20th anniversary of her death.
The islanders took some special tips to get ready for the big night (James Hilder/ITV/PA)
Love Island has already been recommissioned for a return series next year, when a fresh batch of single hopefuls will be shipped to the Majorcan resort in search of love.
The seven-week series concluded with a glamorous prom night event where the four remaining couples shared heartfelt messages with their new partners following their time on the island.
After claiming the £50,000 cash prize, Cetinay and Davies posted a video on Twitter to thank fans for voting for them and supporting them through an “emotional, rocky ride”.
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