ITVโ€™s new nightly entertainment show has debuted to fewer than three million viewers.

The Nightly Show, which is being hosted by David Walliams for its first week on air, was watched by 2.9 million viewers and a 17% share of the audience.

Walliams will hand over the presenting reins to comedian John Bishop next week before chef Gordon Ramsay tries his hand at fronting the show.

ITV has pushed its flagship news bulletin back by half an hour to give the programme a 10pm slot in the hopes it will follow in the footsteps of US late night shows such as The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.

The ITV News lost 200,000 viewers in its new timeslot as it dropped from an average of 1.8 million at 10pm to 1.6 million at 10.30pm last night.

BBC News At Ten maintained the 4.2 million viewers it averages, while Sky Newsโ€™s revamped News At 10 pulled in 206,000 viewers, an increase of 12% on the channelโ€™s year to date average.

The Nightly Show will be broadcast five nights a week at 10pm for an eight-week run and will be recorded as live at 6pm on the same day at a central London location.

It will include topical monologue, studio games, celebrity guests and experts on various subjects.

Last night ventriloquist Nina Conti and Martin Clunes appeared on the show, which included sketches about the Oscars mix-up and US President Donald Trump.

Forthcoming guests include Sex And The City star Kim Cattrall, boxer David Haye and The Voice judges Sir Tom Jones, Jennifer Hudson, will.i.am and Gavin Rossdale.