Strong TV ratings for sport spree

Gary Lineker is the host of BBC One's Match of the Day

The return of Match of the Day to BBC One on Saturday attracted an average of 3.4 million viewers - about the same as its ITV rival achieved last season.

ITV1's The Premiership was seen by an average of 3.5 million last season, but the BBC has now won back the TV rights.

BBC One also got bumper ratings for the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, seen by an average of 8.5 million.

The spectacular show was watched by an average of 25.1 million in the US, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The Olympics ceremony came a day before the start of the UK Premiership season, with Match of the Day returning to BBC One for the first time since 2001.

"We are pleased with the audience that we got," a BBC spokesman said.

Technical hitch

But the highlights of the Middlesbrough versus Newcastle game were interrupted for a short time, when the screen went blank, and a post-match interview with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink began before his goal had been shown.

"There was a slight technical hitch of the sort that happens with live broadcasting," the spokesman said.

"But we resolved it straight away and it went back to normal."

Match of the Day now has Gary Lineker in the presenter's hot seat, while a new Match of the Day 2 highlights show on Sunday, hosted by Adrian Chiles, drew an average of 1.9 million viewers.