The news has come as a welcome boost after a deeply demoralising month during which at least 50 people were made redundant following the closure of its film production arm, FilmFour.A jubilant Channel 4 spokeswoman said yesterday: "We are obviously delighted by this news Big Brother has done it again. The station's overall audience share for the day was 22.6 per cent, compared to 21.1 per cent for BBC1 and 20.2 per cent for ITV.While many will doubtless view the mammoth ratings as further proof of the dumbing-down of viewer expectations and a victory for banality over substance, there was no hiding Channel 4's glee. Overall, the programme drew 9.4m viewers, a 50.1 per cent share of the available audience, compared to 4.6m for the end of Midsomer Murders on ITV, 2.7m for the BBC1 news, and 2.4m for Newsnight on BBC2.The huge audience for the Big Brother finale turned Friday into the most successful day in its history. The play opens as part of the Fringe on Friday.The protests have been led by James Gilchrist, a local Conservative councillor who branded the play "smut" and dismissed Fry's contribution to the theatre as something that "could be written on the back of a postage stamp".Activated Image, the company behind the revival, is so amused by the furore that it has posted Mr Gilchrist's criticisms on its website.

Stephen Fry has been accused of "promoting paedophilia" by giving his blessing to an Edinburgh Festival revival of his award-winning play about an affair between a teacher and an under-age schoolboy. When a 23-year-old Fry first unleashed his public school satire Latin! on the Fringe in 1980, it earned him a best newcomer's prize and kick-started his long-standing collaboration with comic partner Hugh Laurie.Now a row has broken out over plans by an acclaimed young company to revive the play, which tells of the homosexual relationship between a Latin master and his 13-year-old pupil. We have become bedevilled with performance indicators, league tables and management reports The top job is now all about being accountable.". Their financial taskmasters demand they not only produce popular shows, but also work that is artistically challenging.One former director of such a company said: "A change has occurred in the last 10 years. Ask any of those who have struggled at Covent Garden, the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company in recent years. Indeed, running any of our publicly funded arts organisations has become a near-impossible job. Running the company in its straitened circumstances will be tough. There are vacancies at the top of ENO in finance, artistic direction and general management.

Nicholas Payne refuses to talk, but his hint in February that he would have no truck with closure, may explain the sudden resignation.What of the future? Payne's job is being temporarily filled by Caroline Felton, a management consultant. The technicians' union, Bectu, has already come out fighting, warning that a part-time ENO will mean it effectively ceases to exist. It would also mean making the place a receiving house for half the year. And what has caused jitters among the staff of ENO is that closure may afford the chairman, Martin Smith, an opportunity to change the culture of the company.He is believed to have ordered cuts of £700,000 and wants the company put on a more businesslike footing, including using it for more corporate entertainment. And, just as Covent Garden found, comprehensive refurbishment makes closure, albeit temporary, inevitable. Big Brother gave Channel 4 the largest audience in its 19-year history on Friday – making it Britain's most watched TV station for the first time ever. Nearly 10 million viewers tuned in to watch 22-year-old IT operator Kate Lawler become the first woman to scoop the reality show's £70,000 cash prize at the end of her 64-day incarceration.The audience peaked between 10.30 and 10.45pm, around the time of her emergence, stealing 9.9 million viewers – more than a million up on last year's climax.