Natasha Kaplinsky has become the new face of Five News

The number is nearly double the usual audience for the 1700 GMT bulletin and is a 7.5% share.

Her second bulletin, two hours later, attracted 431,000 viewers, a 1.9% share - almost a third more than average.

Kaplinsky, 35, one of the country's most high-profile news presenters, left the BBC to join Five.

After she left, she denied money was the motivating factor despite reports of a �1m deal, saying: "It was never about money.

"If it had been, I wouldn't have taken so long deciding whether to join."

Instead she said she wanted the opportunity to present a programme on her own.