Record audience for Bionic Woman - Mar 13 2008
The Bionic Woman remake starring ex-EastEnder Michelle Ryan delivered ITV2 a record audience.

On Tuesday night the 60-minute drama, in which Michelle, 23, plays robotically-enhanced Jaime Sommers, gave ITV2 its largest audience ever.

The remake of the 1970s show was watched by a peak of 2.4 million viewers.

The digital channel's previous best was 1.9 million viewers for Footballers' Wives: Extra Time in 2005.

Bionic Woman averaged 2.2 million viewers and a 10.5 per cent share of the 9pm to 10pm audience.

The performance was 1.1 million viewers up on Sky Sports 2, the next best performing multi-channel station, which was showing the Inter-Milan v Liverpool football match.

ITV2 Controller Zai Bennett said: "Bionic Woman is a fantastic show and we are very excited that an audience of over two million viewers, our best ever audience, tuned in for last night's show.

In the US, the show is expected to be axed by the NBC network after just one season.

Ratings dropped after the first episode, which was a hit with 13.9 million viewers.

Michelle: I missed M&S! - Feb 20 2008
Michelle Ryan has apparently confessed the thing she missed most while living in Canada was Marks and Spencer.

The former EastEnders star had to move to Vancouver when she was cast as Jaime Sommers in the US remake of hit 70s TV show Bionic Woman, and admits she missed the British department store.

Michelle said: "The thing I missed most was definitely Marks and Spencer! In fact shopping in London generally - and my family and friends of course."

But the 23-year-old actress insists she enjoyed living in Canada, and even found it reminded her of home.

She said: "I loved it, it was so beautiful. there were beautiful mountains and scenery and I was staying in a really nice area which was kind of like Camden. I had lovely little shops and funky clubs and bars on my doorstep. Plus it was really cool having my own place; I felt very independent."

Bionic Woman is to air on ITV2 in March.

Beckhams crazy about Bionic show? - Feb 8 2008
Michelle Ryan has apparently revealed that the Beckhams are huge fans of her US TV series Bionic Woman.

The former EastEnder was stunned to learn David and Victoria - who live in LA - tune in regularly with their son Brooklyn, reports The Sun.

Michelle is quoted as saying: "I was surprised when Brooklyn asked if he could meet me. He’s hooked on the show. How cool is that?"

The 23-year-old British actress moved to Hollywood last year to begin filming the action drama, a remake of the 1970s original show. She plays a barmaid saved from death with the help of experimental medical implants, which give her superhuman strength.

Michelle puts on an American accent for the show and had to undergo rigorous training for the action sequences.

However, it’s been reported that the programme - set to air on ITV2 later this year - hasn’t been a ratings winner in the US so far.

Bionic boost for EastEnder Michelle - Nov 2 2007
Lindsay Wagner never had to use ju-jitsu, save Canada from Bosnian terrorists or worry about her boss watching her have a shower through her bionic eye.

But times have changed and former EastEnder Michelle Ryan is finding today’s Bionic Woman a superhuman leap from the now-seems-tame series of the 1970s.

The original Bionic Woman, a spin-off of the 1970s series The Six Million Dollar Man, starred Lindsay as Jamie Sommers, the female recipient of hi-tech replacement body parts who went on secret missions to stop bad guys.