Following post-production, the programme was shelved by ITV Network Centre until 1997, when it was placed on the Easter weekend schedule as part of the network's "Comedy Premieres" programming strand. The broadcast, scheduled for a 9 pm start on 30 March, went head-to-head with launch night of Channel 5, Britain's last terrestrial television channel, and the second part of the BBC1 drama "The Missing Postman". Also broadcast on 30 March was ITV's coverage of the Brazilian Grand Prix. The race was restarted due to an accident and threw ITV's evening schedules into disarray. Broadcast of "Cold Feet" eventually began 40 minutes later than originally advertised and the overnight ratings reflected this; it recorded viewing figures of just 3.5 million. Harries wrote it off as a failure, telling Langan that they would never get a series. Some critical success came though; writing in "The Times" the day after it aired, Matthew Bond called it "an enjoyable one-off comedy aimed at anybody who's ever been single, married, or had children. With such catholic appeal further heightened by Helen Baxendale heading a talented cast, it showed just what ITV can do when it is trying to win awards, such as the Golden Rose of Montreux."