ITV Racing equalled last year’s record-breaking share overall for the 2023 Cheltenham Festival at 17%, the highest ever posted by a broadcaster for the event since records began, meaning of all those watching TV, more were watching racing than ever before.
This remained higher even than the lockdown year of 2021.
1.7 million people watched the Boodles Gold Cup on Friday, a higher number than 2022 and the second ever best figure excluding lockdown.
The average viewing figure across the week was 941,000, and the peak average 1.4 million, both consistent with 2022.
In its expanded timeslot of 8.30-10.00am, The Opening Show had its second-best Cheltenham Festival average audience, second only to 2021 when the Festival was held behind closed doors. Average audience was 132,000 across the six hours of programming, with a 3.4% average share.
ITV Racing broadcast 20 hours of live coverage of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, with a three and a half hour show every afternoon and an extended hour and a half Opening Show every morning.
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