Torvill and Dean won TV gold

TORVILL and Dean's failed attempt at Olympic gold attracted the biggest British television audience for a sports event since England's appearance in the 1990 World Cup semi-final.

Early BBC estimates, released yesterday, are that 23 million people watched the ice dancers take the bronze on Monday night. It also emerged that they were penalised for an overhead lift, which may have cost them the silver medal.

The BBC's EastEnders attracted 21.19m viewers last week and ITV's Coronation Street 21.41m, including omnibus editions. The 1990 match with West Germany was seen by 19.5m BBC viewers and was also shown on ITV.