The episode, part one of a two-part documentary on former Tallinn mayor, Centre Party founder and leading figure in Estonia's drive for independence Edgar Savisaar, averaged 213,000 viewers, according to market research company Kantar Emor, about a 36% market share for the time slot, at 20.00 EET.

Viewership spiked at 228,000 in the early part of the broadcast, according to the data, and this ''Savisaar effect'' carried over to news broadcast Aktuaalne kaamera, which immediately followed Pealtnägija at 21.00 and drew an average of 214,000 viewers, it is reported.

By way of comparison, last year's Eurovision Song Contest final, in which Estonia participated, attracted 406,00 viewers. Estonia's population is around 1.3 million. Viewers outside Estonia can watch ETV broadcasts, though won't be included in the viewership data.

Mr Savisaar looms large in independent Estonia's history. Most recently, he was in court on various corruption charges, a trial chequered by halts due to his ill-health and ultimately disbanded by the Supreme Court, on health grounds.

The next episode of Pealtnägija will be next Wednesday, 16 January, at the slightly later time of 20.05.

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