How ITV leaders' debate fared on Twitter - 8,657 tweets per minute sent and Gary Lineker slams Farage
Last night’s leaders' debate on ITV – the first TV broadcast involving all seven party leaders – triggered 1.5 million tweets over the space of a few hours, with an average 8,657 tweets sent per minute, according to Twitter.
The televised debate saw David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg, Nigel Farage, Natalie Bennett, Nicola Sturgeon and Leanne Wood all go head to head on topics including the economy, NHS, immigration and the future of Britain.
A separate debate unfolded on Twitter with a total 277,685 people dissecting the performance of the leaders.
Gary Lineker, Charlie Brooker and Rob Brydon had their tweets retweeted the most times, according to Twitter, with each venting their frustrations about the debate.
Lineker took a swipe at UKIP leader Nigel Farage:
Always reluctant to offer a political view, but Farage is a dick!
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 2, 2015
His comment was retweeted 12,714 times and favourited 12,162 times. Meanwhile actor Rob Brydon also mocked the set-up, tweeting the below message which was retweeted 6,314 times.
What the hell are ITV playing at? I'm the host of Would I Lie To You? Why am I not there? #leadersdebate
— Rob Brydon (@RobBrydon) April 2, 2015
Guardian columnist and broadcaster Charlie Brooker's tweet (below) about Nigel Farage's claim that 60 per cent of HIV sufferers in the country are not British nationals - which was among the three core moments in which tweets spiked during the broadcast, was retweeted 7,632 times.
Not sure “Tough on AIDS victims” is going to be a popular campaign slogan. #LeadersDebate
— Charlie Brooker (@charltonbrooker) April 2, 2015
Rupert Murdoch summarised his thoughts on the debate in the below tweet:
UK debate. Great performances by SNP Sturgeon and UKIP Farage, Cameron sort of ok, Milliband not, Clegg pathetic. May not count in May.
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) April 2, 2015
Meanwhile a parody Prince Charles account mocked the set-up as a looking akin to a scene from ITV's dating show Take Me Out.
The parody account, which has 395,000 followers, tweeted the below message, which was retweeted 6,895 times, and favourited 5,019 times - among the messages to recieve the highest nunmber of retweets, according to Twitter.
Worst episode of Take Me Out. EVER. #leadersdebate pic.twitter.com/Rh4SmYj47a
— Prince Charles (@Charles_HRH) April 2, 2015