The Queen’s speech won the battle of the ratings on Christmas Day (25.12.16).
The 90-year-old monarch had 7.7 million viewers in the UK tuning in for her annual festive message, where she paid tribute to Team GB’s Olympic stars.
Queen Elizabeth’s speech was up from 7.5 million last year and beat off strong competition from ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ with 7.2 million viewers, ‘The Great Christmas Bake Off’ with 6.3 million and ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’ with 6.1 million.
The monarch – who missed church on Christmas Day due to a heavy cold – gave a heartfelt speech in which she spoke about being inspired by love.
She said: "There was a time when British Olympic medal winners became household names because there were so few of them. But the 67 medals at this year’s Games in Rio and 147 at the Paralympics meant that the GB medallists’ reception at Buckingham Palace was a crowded and happy event.
"Throughout the Commonwealth there were equally joyful celebrations. Grenada, the Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand won more medals per head of population than any other countries.
"Many of this year’s winners spoke of being inspired by athletes of previous generations. Inspiration fed their aspiration; and having discovered abilities they scarcely knew they had, these athletes are now inspiring others.
"A few months ago, I saw inspiration of a different kind when I opened the new Cambridge base of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, where Prince William works as a helicopter pilot. It was not hard to be moved by the dedication of the highly skilled doctors, paramedics and crew, who are called out on average five times a day.
"But to be inspirational you don’t have to save lives or win medals. I often draw strength from meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things: volunteers, carers, community organisers and good neighbours; unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special.
"The message of Christmas reminds us that inspiration is a gift to be given as well as received, and that love begins small but always grows.
"I wish you all a very happy Christmas."
Queen Elizabeth wins ratings battle
