2018 in British television
Rank Programme Number of viewers in millions Date Network Brief description
1 2018 FIFA World Cup : Croatia vs England 20.7 11 July ITV England lose to Croatia 2-1 in Moscow in their first semi-final of a World Cup since 1990
2 2018 FIFA World Cup : Sweden vs England 17.4 7 July BBC One England win against Sweden 2-0 in Samara to proceed to their first World Cup semi-final since 1990
3 Bodyguard 14.3 23 September BBC One The final episode of the first series . Aikens ( Matt Stokoe ) abducts Budd ( Richard Madden ) and fits him inside a suicide vest . The police then are called by Budd and refuse to believe his version of events as they believe he is involved in the conspiracy due to his links to Apsted ( Tom Brooke ) . Budd suspects MI5 is watching him and gives false information regarding the information of the kompromat . The security service then sends Longcross ( Michael Schaeffer ) to retrieve it , who is then arrested by the police on site . Budd 's innocence is then proven after he leads the police to his flat and Vicky ( Sophie Rundle ) discovers the kompromat and blank rounds from his firearm . Budd then discovers that Craddock ( Pippa Haywood ) is the police insider for Aikens . She then confesses to providing Aikens information regarding Montague 's ( Keeley Hawes ) whereabouts which led to her assassination and chose Budd to be her PPO as his background made him the perfect fall guy . Nadia ( Anjli Mohindra ) is later interviewed again and is revealed to have lied about Longcross 's e-fit and is the builder of the explosive devices and led to the attack on the school of Budd 's children
4 I 'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here 13.7 18 November ITV Holly Willoughby makes her debut as co-presenter alongside Declan Donnelly whilst Ant McPartlin is on a break marking the first time the series is not presented by Donnelly and McPartlin in the show 's history . The launch programme receives the highest ratings for an opener in the show 's 16-year history . The series includes a line-up of celebrities including actor John Barrowman , singer Fleur East , quizzer Anne Hegerty and football manager Harry Redknapp
5 Strictly Come Dancing 11.9 13 October BBC One The fourth live show of sixteenth series which saw Stacey Dooley and her partner Kevin Clifton go to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 33 for their Foxtrot to Hi Ho Silver Lining by Jeff Beck
6 Britain 's Got Talent 11.2 3 June ITV The final of the twelfth series , which was won by comedian Lost Voice Guy , beating pianist Robert White and reggae singer Donchez Dacres . Performers from Tina : The Musical also performed
7 Doctor Who 10.5 14 October BBC One The launch of the eleventh series and the debut of the Thirteenth Doctor ( Jodie Whittaker ) , the first female incarnation of the time-travelling Time Lord . The episode titled The Woman Who Fell to Earth saw The Doctor fall on to Sheffield following the events of Twice Upon a Time , battle an alien known by the name of Tzim-Sha/Tim Shaw ( Samuel Oatley ) , construct a new sonic-screwdriver and encounter bus driver Graham O'Brien ( Bradley Walsh ) , police officer Yasmin Khan ( Mandip Gill ) , and a warehouse worker who has dyspraxia Ryan Sinclair ( Tosin Cole ) , who later become her companions . The episode was the first to be broadcast on Sunday of the modern revival of the programme and achieved the programme its highest ratings for a premiere of a series beating the 2005 episode Rose and its highest consolidated ratings since The Time of the Doctor in 2013 . The episode is also the highest drama-launch of the year
8 The Great British Bake Off 9.9 28 August Channel 4 The first episode of the ninth series breaking with tradition and focusing on biscuits . County Tyrone recreation officer , Imelda McCarron , is eliminated whilst London software project manager , Manon Lagrève , is crowned the first star baker of the series
9 Call the Midwife 9.6 11 March BBC One The final episode of the seventh series sees the aftermath of the funeral of Barbara ( Charlotte Ritchie ) and Sister Monica Joan 's ( Judy Parfitt ) birthday party which is later interrupted by news of the Assassination of President Kennedy
10 Coronation Street 9.4 30 March ITV Eileen Grimshaw ( Sue Cleaver ) learns the truth about her husband Pat Phelan 's ( Connor McIntyre ) killer ways and throws him off a pier
Top 10 most-watched television broadcasts -- BARB consolidated 7-day viewing figures
The Broadcasters ' Audience Research Board ( BARB ) used this method of measurement until August 2018 . Viewing figures details include +1 and HD channels . Highest rated single episode , instalment or match per channel . [ 330 ]
This is a list of events that took place in 2018 relating to television in the United Kingdom.