BBC One captured 29.4% of the monthly peak-time audience in May, compared with ITV1's 28.4% audience share -- news that will not please Carlton Communications and Granada, the companies that run ITV.
Last month, Granada and Carlton, already hurt by the failure of ITV Digital, said they would be pumping another £25m into ITV's programming budget. A spokesman for ITV said it would be "misleading" to read too much into one month's figures.
"The advertising recession has affected programme budgets but the recent announcement of a £25m increase in the autumn schedule signalled ITV's determination to fight back and improve its performance," the spokesman said.
Shows that have been hits for BBC One during the 6-10.30pm slot include: 'Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'; 'Cutting It', the series about hairdressers in Manchester; and 'Spooks', a slick drama show about the intelligence service MI5.
ITV recently signed a £320m, four-year advertising deal with Unilever, part of which is dependent on the network delivering high ratings.
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