The return of News At Ten to ITV1 last night was beaten in the ratings battle by the BBC. The bulletin, hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald and Julie Etchingham, had an audience of 3.8 million, while Ten O'Clock News on BBC1 was watched by 4.9 million.

ITV insisted that it was happy with the figures. “We are very pleased. It's a large increase on the ratings for our old 10.30pm bulletin and it shows there is a substantial viewer appetite for news in this slot,” it said. The 3.8 million average included the regional news. The average for the national bulletin from 10pm-10.25pm was 4.1 million.

The relaunch, in which the bulletin returned to its traditional slot after years of being shunted around the schedule, had been promoted heavily by ITV. The famous “bongs” and Sir Trevor's “And finally...” feature are back, and the show has been given a revamp with futuristic opening titles.

The bulletin featured an interview with Dr Hasnat Khan, the former lover of Diana, Princess of Wales. Over at the BBC, the Ten O'Clock News had an exclusive of its own, with John Simpson, its world affairs editor, reporting undercover from Zimbabwe.

Craig Oliver, the Editor of Ten O'Clock, said thatenhe was “delighted” with the ratings. “We realised that we needed to be as strong as ever and in that sense it was business as usual,” he said. “I was expecting that, on the launch night, with the sheer amount of publicity surrounding News At Ten, they would do extremely well.

“We are delighted by the figures, but it is the first round and we are not going to be complacent. Competition is a good thing, it keeps you on your toes and makes sure you are the best you can be.”

News At Ten will run four nights a week, with later bulletins appearing at the weekend. Sir Trevor, 68, has not said how long he will host the bulletin, prompting speculation that he will leave within a year.

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