Channel 4 News doubled its audience among 16 to 34-year-olds last week amid a general increase in the broadcaster’s viewing figures among the demographic.

The figure for its evening news programme shows that twice the number of people within the age range tuned in to the programme during the Covid-19 outbreak compared to the same week last year.

There has been 38% year-on-year growth in the number of 16 to 34-year-olds tuning in to the channel.

The study also found that 44% of people in the age category are watching more hours of TV.

Channel 4 said this week’s Celebrity Bake Off, which featured singer James Blunt, YouTuber Joe Sugg and TV presenters Alex Jones and Alison Hammond, pulled in its biggest ever overnight audience after 4.4 million tuned in.

Great British Bake Off: Great New Year’s Bake Off
Celebrity Bake Off received record viewing figures (Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/C4/PA)

Martin Greenbank, head of advertising research and development at Channel 4, said: “Young viewers in particular are placing their trust in TV over any other source of information, finding comfort in programming at a time of crisis when they’re watching significantly more TV.”

Gogglebox also increased its overnight audience by 21% compared to its 2019 episodes, with the figure for Friday’s episode standing at 4.9 million.

More than 1,400 people contributed to Channel 4’s research.