The most-watched TV programmes of 2017 have been revealed

The BBC has come out on top in a chart of the most-watched TV programmes of last year, despite losing The Great British Bake Off to Channel 4.

That was largely thanks to Sir David Attenborough and an incredible array of marine wildlife, as Blue Planet II topped the chart with 14 million people tuning in for episode one of the landmark nature documentary.

Despite the fact that this was down on the most-watched programme of 2016 (when 15.9 million saw Candice Brown win the final of Bake Off), it was enough for the BBC to hold on to its title as the home of the biggest TV audience of the year.

Over on Channel 4, the 2017 Bake Off final was watched by 10 million - six million down on the ratings for the 2016 final on BBC One, but the fourth biggest audience in Channel 4's 35-year history.

The Strictly Come Dancing final was the fifth most watched programme of 2017 (Photo: BBC)

The top 10 most watched TV programmes of 2017 were as follows:

10. Strictly Come DancingBBC1, 4 November, 11.96 million

9. Strictly Come DancingBBC1, 18 November, 12.05 million

8. Strictly Come DancingBBC1, 28 October, 12.28 million

7. Blue Planet II (episode 5)BBC1, 26 November, 12.62 million

6. I'm a Celebrity… (launch)ITV, 19 November, 12.69 million

5. Strictly Come Dancing (final)BBC1 16 December, 13.01 million

4. Blue Planet II (episode 4)BBC1, 19 November, 13.11 million

3. Blue Planet II (episode 3)BBC1, 12 November, 13.45 million

2. Blue Planet II (episode 2)BBC1, 5 November, 13.97 million

1. Blue Planet II (episode 1)BBC1, 29 October, 14.01 million

In 2017 the BBC was responsible for the year's most-watched documentary (Blue Planet II), light entertainment (Strictly Come Dancing) and live event (the One Love Manchester charity concert).

But despite the BBC showing a string of high-profile dramas during the year, including Line of Duty, The Moorside and Sherlock, all were beaten in the ratings by ITV's Broadchurch.

Broadchurch was a ratings hit for ITV (Photo: ITV)

The last ever episode of the crime thriller, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman, was watched by 11.6 million - the biggest audience for any TV drama in 2017.

ITV also boasted the most-watched soap opera, with Coronation Street pulling in 9.2 million viewers for an episode in June, besides averaging 7.6 million viewers across the year.

An analysis of the top 40 biggest audiences of 2017 by the Press Association shows that 27 were for programmes broadcast on BBC One, including all seven episodes of Blue Planet II.

The remaining 13 were for programmes shown on ITV, including five episodes of Broadchurch.

The top 10 shows (by highest instance of each)

10. The MoorsideBBC1, 14 February, 10.23 million

9. New Year FireworksBBC1, 31 December, 10.40 million

8. Call the MidwifeBBC1, 19 February, 10.63 million

7. SherlockBBC1, 1 January, 11.33 million

6. Britain's Got TalentITV, 6 May, 11.51 million

5. BroadchurchITV, 17 April, 11.61 million

4. One Love ManchesterBBC1, 4 June, 11.63 million

3. I'm a Celebrity... (launch)ITV, 19 November, 12.69 million

2. Strictly Come Dancing (final)BBC1, 16 December, 13.01 million

1. Blue Planet II (ep 1)BBC1, 29 October, 14.01 million