More than six million people watched the first live leaders’ debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn on ITV.
The pair’s appearance drew an average audience of 6.7 million viewers when it aired between 8pm and 9pm on Tuesday, according to overnight ratings.
The programme peaked at 7.3 million, ITV said.
According to one report, the programme peaked at seven million viewers between 8.50pm and 8.55pm.
The channel said that "Johnson v Corbyn: The ITV Debate" was watched by over one million 16-34 year olds.
Mr Johnson and Mr Corbyn faced off in front of an audience with viewers at home able to watch in real time as the party heads battled it out.
Host newsreader Julie Etchingham led the questioning on topics including firstly Brexit, then the Union, NHS and even the issue of trust.
The show's producers even engineered a question about the royal family, specifically Prince Andrew, following the Duke of York's "disastrous" BBC interview.
However, encouraging the competitors to shake hands lightened the atmosphere as did a seasonal question about what what Christmas present the two senior politicians would buy one another.
The debate was up against Holby City on BBC One and MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC Two, both airing 8pm-9pm.
The leader of the Conservatives clashed with the Labour leader over their rival plans for Brexit during the heated debate, with Mr Corbyn describing the Prime Minister’s pledge to “get Brexit done” by the end of January as “nonsense”, while Mr Johnson suggested his rival was “not fit to lead our country”.
Mr Johnson and Mr Corbyn also contested issues concerning the NHS and a further referendum on Scottish independence in the first televised debate of the General Election campaign.
Reaction to the debate was mixed and although initial online polls suggested Mr Corbyn was the winner, many people called the match a draw.
Both leaders received their fair share of applause and heckling during the clash from an animated crowd.
While the show was one, the Conservative Party was facing a backlash on social media for changing the party's official press office Twitter CCHQ to "factcheckUK".
Fact-checking organisation Full Fact said the move was "inappropriate and misleading" of the party and after complaints were made to Twitter the account was changed back.
Twitter has warned it will not tolerate verified accounts which attempt to mislead the public during the general election.
Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrats leader was interviewed on ITV following the set-to, during which she called Conservative and Labour "tired" and "old".
Another live debate will take place on the BBC on November 29 including leaders from seven parties, followed by a another Corbyn v Johnson head-to-head on the public broadcaster on December 6.
