TERROR thriller Bodyguard has become the biggest new drama on British television in over a decade, the BBC has said.

The BBC One series - starring Keeley Hawes as the Home Secretary and Richard Madden as the officer assigned to protect her - has achieved consolidated viewing figures of 10.4 million for its first episode.

This is the highest launch figure for any new drama across all UK channels since 2006, the corporation said.

The third episode attracted an average of 6.6 million viewers, giving BBC1 a 33% share of overall viewers.

The show peaked with seven million viewers and was the most watched programme across all channels on Sunday night, the BBC said.

The first episode of the ITV adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair, starring Olivia Cooke as Becky Sharp, also aired at 9pm and drew an average of 2.9 million viewers and a 15 per cent share.

The launch episode peaked with 3.9 million viewers, including those watching on ITV +1 and ITV HD.

Bodyguard was penned by Line Of Duty writer Jed Mercurio.