David Bowie TV specials attracted almost 6 million viewers, with news bulletins also performing strongly, as fans tuned in following the singer’s unexpected death.

BBC1 tore up its mid-evening schedule, replacing current affairs show Inside Out with a half-hour programme, David Bowie: Sound and Vision, which drew an average audience of 4.5 million and a 20% share of all TV viewing between 7.30pm and 8pm.

Channel 4 commissioned a quick turnaround one-hour tribute show from ITN called Starman, which replaced Grand Designs Australia and was watched by 500,000 viewers; a 4.6% share between 10.35pm and 11.30pm.

BBC2 news and current affairs programme Newsnight also covered Bowie’s death, attracting an average of 700,000 viewers between 10.30pm and 11.10pm.

Newsnight was followed by a repeat of Five Years, the 2013 documentary focusing on key years in Bowie’s career, which drew 600,000 and a 9.5% share from 11.15pm.

The documentary replaced highlights of the The Masters Snooker.

UKTV-owned pay-TV channel Yesterday also aired Five Years, shown at 8pm, and again on its one-hour time-shifted version at 9pm, which attracted a combined audience of 137,000.

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Bulletins also performed strongly as the public tuned in for news surrounding the death of Bowie, who died of cancer at the age of 69.

ITV News at Ten, which saw the debut of Robert Peston in his new role as political editor, drew 2.1 million.

The BBC’s rival 10pm news bulletin drew 4.8 million, while the earlier 6pm programme pulled in an impressive 6.2 million.

ITV’s 6pm news programme was watched by 4 million.