The much-anticipated finale to BBC Two's "real-time" drama 24 drew nearly three million viewers on Sunday night.

The final instalment, which starred Kiefer Sutherland and Dennis Hopper, was watched by 2.9 million viewers, a 16% share of viewing at that time.

It answered just some of the questions which had been left hanging during the series.

The audience was up on the previous week, when 2.7 million tuned in, and matched the opening audience for the series back in March.

24 revived Sutherland's career

But the programme's audience may have been hit by a surge in TV news audiences as viewers caught up with the tragic developments in the case of missing children Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

The audience for the BBC One news at 2200 BST - the same slot as 24 - rose to 8.1 million, a 38% share of viewing and two million more than the previous week, when the news recorded a 30% share.

The audience for ITV's news bulletin at 2300 BST also rose, to 1.9 million (a 15% share) up from 1.4 million (11% share) the previous week.

Critical hit

The series has been a major critical hit for the US TV network Fox and made a star of Kiefer Sutherland once again.

It has been nominated for 10 Emmy awards - including outstanding drama series and outstanding lead actor for Kiefer Sutherland.

Work has already started on the second series, which opens in the US on 29 October.