• Rabbitohs beat the Panthers 20-18 in the NRL
Total TV Ratings, April 13
Lifting by a 23% rise was 10’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, with 723,000 watching the campmates reveal their chosen charities. Bianca Hunt, a proud Kamilaroi, Barkindji, Ballardong and Whadjuk Woman, also captivated the cast when she spoke passionately about the various indigenous names that we identify with today, and how she is proud her skin colour.
Seven’s AFL: Thursday Night Football saw 618,000 tune in for the opening game of the Gather Round. The Adelaide Crows went head-to-head with the Carlton Football Club at Adelaide Oval with the Crows performing arguably one of the most astonishing first quarters the game had seen this season. They beat the Blues 18.10 (118) to 9.8 (62), up 1%.
Nine’s NRL: Thursday Night Footy pitted the newly formed Brisbane Dolphins against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Rabbitohs beat the Dolphins 36 – 14 with 615,000 watching on and lifting 13%.
Overnight TV Ratings, April 20
Primetime News
Seven News 870,000 (6:00pm) / 811,000 (6:30pm)
Nine News 725,000(6:00pm) / 736,000 (6:30pm)
ABC News 522,000
10 News First 222,000 (5:00pm)/ 144,000 (6:00pm)
SBS World News 147,000 (6:30pm)/ 117,000 (7:00pm)
Daily Current Affairs
A Current Affair 608,000
7.30 392,000
The Project 165,000 6:30pm / 239,000 7pm
Breakfast TV
Sunrise 232,000
Today 170,000
News Breakfast 131,000
Nine has won the night with a primary share of 22.3% and a network share of 29%. 7Two has won multichannels with a 4.0% share.
Nine’s A Current Affair (608,000) investigated the announcement that Australia’s big four banks aren’t doing enough to protect customers from scammers. The program spoke to scam victims still waiting to get their money back from their banks. The show also showcased the moment a rare total eclipse graced a town in Western Australia, plunging keen watchers into darkness. Eclipse hunters travelled from around the world for the rare 60-second event, which isn’t expected to happen again in Australia until 2028. Then on NRL Thursday Night Footy, 267,000 tuned in to see the Penrith Panthers take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs, live from Accor Stadium. The Souths scored an “unwinnable” victory in an “extraordinary contest” with Penrith coach Ivan Cleary praising the opposition for “big plays” to secure the win 20 – 18.
416,000 began their evening in Summer Bay with Seven’s Home and Away as Xander considered a career change, Marilyn’s makeover of Leah ended in disaster when a product she sold caused an adverse reaction and Justin made a breakthrough. Then, 207,000 watched the second round of auditions on Britain’s Got Talent. A man dressed as Darth Vader “tortured” the audience with an electric keyboard and another man played Sweet Caroline on the recorder through his nose before admitting he could “trumpet through the other hole”. 13-year-old Cillian from Ireland performed some tear-jerking magic with “autism ability”.
On 10, The Project (165,000 6:30pm / 239,000 7pm) welcomed acclaimed British author Jay Shetty to the desk who shared the secret to finding love — getting to know yourself. Comedian Melinda Buttle then revealed who her hilarious “mum” character on social media is modelled upon and Ian “Dicko” Dickson joined the panel, live from the South African jungle following his I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here elimination. Then we checked in with Dicko’s former camp mates on I’m a Celeb. 409,000 watched as Domenica Calarco and Nathan Henry went deep behind the reality TV curtain, opening up about what it’s really like on Married at First Sight and Geordie Shore. Harry Garside revealed he uses botox and Nick “Honey Badger” Cummins became the latest celebrity voted out of the jungle.
392,000 watched ABC’s 7.30 explored the Reserve Bank of Australia which is set for its biggest overhaul in decades. Sarah Ferguson interviewed treasurer Jim Chalmers and the program spoke to families who are scrambling to find homes for their loved ones as a number of aged care facilities close. Then, 215,000 tuned in for Grand Designs New Zealand. The episode featured Kiwi fruit farmers Stew and Gill Moss who are building a final family home in time for Gill’s 60th birthday party; however, building against the backdrop of a tumultuous year may mean that Gill will have to remain 59 a little longer.
The highest rating non-news show on SBS was The Murdochs: Empire of Influence. This next instalment of the series showcased Rupert Murdoch just after he became owner of the New York Post. The episode revealed how Murdoch used the paper to flex his political muscles and expand his empire from print to television with help from the Reagan administration and money acquired after a violent showdown with British labor unions. 144,000 tuned in.
