Drama boosts BBC America

BBC America has said it expects to record its highest ratings ever for 2013, following the success of drama offerings such as Doctor Who, Broadchurch and Orphan Black.

The US cable network said it recorded its best-ever live audience for the latest installment of sci-fi drama Doctor Who, which was broadcast on Christmas Day.

Doctor Who: The Time of the Doctor drew an audience of 2.47 million to the channel, and attracted an overall audience of 3.02 million including viewers of the show’s repeats. The special saw the previous Doctor Who, played by Matt Smith, replaced by Peter Capaldi (The Thick of It).

The programme’s previous installment, The Day of the Doctor, celebrated the series’ 50th anniversary in November and drew 2.4 million to its live telecast on BBC America, and an all-time record of 3.6 million viewers in total.

The BBC’s US channel, which also enjoyed ratings success with supernatural series Atlantis, already has dramas including The Musketeers and Fleming: The Man Who Would be Bond slated for this year.