Sopranos TV return breaks records

James Gandolfini (centre) heads an acclaimed cast

Crime drama The Sopranos has broken audience records with its return to US TV.

The cable network HBO drew the largest audience in its 30-year history for Sunday night's première of the latest series.

This is higher than I thought we had the potential to reach

David Baldwin, HBO

And for the first time, the cable network drew a larger American audience than any of the broadcast networks at the same time - an estimated 13.4 million viewers.

The Sopranos' audience from 9 to 10 pm on Sunday surpassed the top terrestrial broadcast show for the slot, NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent as well as CBS's venerable news magazine 60 Minutes.

The audience for The Sopranos was achieved in spite of the fact HBO reaches only one-third of the estimated 107 million American homes with TV sets.

"This is higher than I thought we had the potential to reach," said HBO's executive vice president David Baldwin.

The Sopranos has won numerous awards

The previous record-holder for most-watched broadcast on HBO was the 1989 championship boxing match between Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno, an HBO spokeswoman said.

The critically-acclaimed series, which stars James Gandolfini as a family-man mafia boss, was returning to HBO after a 16-month break.

The drama picked up where it left off, with Gandolfini's character Tony Soprano undergoing therapy in response to marital problems and money troubles in the family business.