Throng

The gripping finale of the second series of Being Human attracted an audience of one million (4.1%) last night (Sunday 28 February) on BBC Three.

BBC Three's popular and critically-acclaimed drama about supernatural housemates has once again proved a great success for the channel, with an audience of 1.6 million tuning into the launch episode of this series – an increase of half-a-million on the launch of series one (1.1 million).

Series two has averaged 1.2 million/4.2% and 8.2% amongst 16-34s, and across the week reaches 3.3 million, 8.4% amongst 16-34s.

Following the huge success of his first series, Russell Howard will be returning to BBC Three with two more helpings of his topical news show.

Series one was the best performing studio-based entertainment show BBC Three has ever launched.

Series two will hit our screens next month, with a third series planned for later this year.

BBC Three gives election advice to 16-34 year olds in two short trails fronted by the BBC Business Editor Robert Peston.

Made by the BBC's Current Affairs team, the first 30-second film reminds BBC Three viewers that they must register if they want to vote in the upcoming General Election and Peston explains how to go about it.

The trail will be shown on the channel for the first time on Wednesday 27 January 2010.

Not only is Natalie a kettlebell lifter, she is also a keen cycler, rock climber and long-distance runner and was even crowned an adult champion dancer at the age of 18.

Geordie Natalie has only ever left the UK twice, for weekend breaks to Europe. How will she cope on a round-the-world journey that will take her to some of the toughest places of earth?

She says: "I've never been anywhere that's needed sun factor."

Adrenaline junkie Anna challenges herself to some of the most extreme and dangerous water sports on earth, such as kite surfing, driving power boats and wakeboarding.

Born in Kenya to an ex-pat family, Anna was sent to boarding school in the UK at the age of 12. Although she might sound posh, don't be fooled by the accent as she is not afraid to challenge herself.

Anna says: "I think being well brought up or having a privileged background doesn't necessarily mean you haven't had to fight for the things you've got."

The youngest of the competitors, Alex has many strings to her bow. At only 19 she has qualified as a personal trainer, competed at pole fitness, and body-building. Alex also loves horses and competes in show jumping, cross country and dressage.

Alex says: "People say I've got little woman syndrome, that I feel I have to go out to prove something and maybe that's right, but I think it will be good to show everyone what I am about."

Despite all this she is still very girlie – her Chihuahua is called Jimmy Choo after her favourite shoes! As she says: "I think a lot of people underestimate me when they see me, they think I am all hair, nails and handbags and it's gonna be nice to show them what I can do."

Joni has played rugby for Richmond and Ulster and has also represented Ireland at sailing and Northern Ireland at netball. Joni is well known for her sense of humour; she is very competitive and determined to win. She doesn't take kindly to anyone moaning, giving up or foolish enough to suggest that women are not as good at sport as men!

"I've always been a tomboy. Whenever I was younger, I'd be climbing up trees and falling out of trees and things like that, and I never had a pain threshold, so I was through the roof because I'd never ever been hurt," says Joni.

Joni wanted a challenge and, following a friend's suggestion she should apply to take part, she knew straight away she wanted to be involved.

Lesley began training at her local boxing club four years ago in a bid to keep fit. Now she is the Amateur Boxing Association National welterweight women's champion, and in 2008 she won the gold medal at the European Championships. Lesley hates to lose and relies on power and tactics when she competes.

Lesley says: "As corny as it sounds, boxing chose me. Growing up as a teenager I wasn't off the rails, but I used to smoke and drink. As I got older I thought, I wanna get fit, but I hated the gym, so my dad's friend, said, you know, why don't you try the boxing club on the High Road? And I went and I remember talking to people and they'd be going like four, five times a day, and then I became one of those people!"

Despite missing out on this year's British ABA National and European boxing championships, Lesley knew that Last Woman Standing would give her the challenge she needed.

Five female athletes from the UK travel across the globe, live with tribes and remote peoples, and take on local women in some extremely difficult and indigenous sports – all wanting to be the Last Woman Standing – in a new series on BBC Three.

How will a group of very Western girls cope when they take on local women at sports they've been practising since they were children? How will they handle the rites of passage and the rituals, the harsh conditions and the reality of the ultimate life changing experience?

From Huka Huka Wrestling in Brazil to Bamboo Raft Racing in the Philippines and from Water Buffalo Racing in Indonesia to Tarahumara Mountain Endurance contests in Mexico, all five women are setting out with one aim – to return with their pride and bodies in tact.

A season full of brand new shows; major returning hits; new comic talent; gripping drama and hard-hitting documentaries on the back of a record-breaking 2009.

BBC Three enters 2010 at the top of its game with more young people than ever before watching the channel, and a Winter/Spring season brimming with the next generation of creative talent.

Russell Tovey, Nicola Roberts, Dan Clark, Robert Peston, Johnny Vegas, Russell Howard, Simon Bird, Harriet Braun, Catherine Johnson – just some of the artists gracing BBC Three both in front of and behind the screen in 2010.

Laura Fraser (Florence Nightingale, Casanova, The Boys Are Back), Ruta Gedmintas (The Tudors) and Fiona Button (The Palace) have been cast as the three female lead roles in Lip Service, a bold new drama for BBC Three about the sex lives and love affairs of twenty-something lesbians living in contemporary Glasgow.

Produced by Kudos Film & Television (Ashes To Ashes, Spooks, Life On Mars) through BBC Scotland, the six-part series, which started filming in Glasgow this month, was written and created by Harriet Braun (Mistresses, series one, and co-creator of Attachments).

Ruta Gedmintas plays Frankie, an irreverent and provocative photographer who avoids commitment at all turns; Laura Fraser plays Cat – Frankie's former lover, who may not be as immune to Frankie's charms as she professes to be; and Fiona Button plays Tess – Cat's best friend and flatmate who has an uncanny knack of attracting all the wrong sorts of women.

The BBC announced today, 13 October, 2009, that the winning act of BBC Three's forthcoming series, Move Like Michael Jackson,will win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform at the official tribute concert.

The concert, which is due to take place in London next June, will be hosted by Jermaine Jackson and the rest of the Jackson family and will include an array of global superstars.

The six-part dance series, which is to be hosted by BBC Radio 1's Reggie Yates, will see a nationwide search to find Britain's most talented and original dancers who can demonstrate they have the spirit, showmanship and technical ability of the great man.

- A specially commissioned new film of Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring with the Balletboyz on BBC Three combining documentary and performance
- Contemporary choreographers celebrate Diaghilev in performance televised from Sadler's Wells on BBC Four
- A new film looks at the artistic and cultural legacy of the Ballets Russes on BBC Four
- In a unique collaboration with the Balletboyz, BBC Three broadcasts a powerful new version of Stravinsky's The Rite Of Spring specially commissioned as part of December programming on the BBC marking the 100th anniversary of the Ballets Russes.

Televised in the lead up to Christmas this joins exclusive performance from Sadler's Wells and a new film documenting the artistic and cultural legacy of this legendary company on BBC Four.

Jackson 5 legend Jermaine Jackson is to be one of the judges on brand new BBC Three entertainment series Move Like Michael Jackson.

Celebrating the greatest pop icon of our time, this six-part dance series will see a nationwide search to find Britain's most talented and original dancers who can demonstrate they have the spirit, showmanship and technical ability of the great man.

Back in the studio, Jermaine and the rest of the panel will be seeing who can put their true versatility and ingenuity to the test as they perform to classic Michael Jackson tracks.

BBC Three is celebrating after its Adult Season, a collection of programmes which explored what it means to become an adult in Britain today, brought the channel the best two weeks in its history amongst its target audience of 16-34 year olds.

In the first week of August, the channel's share of young audiences was 5.3% and in the second week the share was 5.2%.

Overall the season, which followed the stories of teenagers at the frontline of becoming adults, reached 18.5 million people and 45% of 16-34 year olds.