Seven has led the way in Week 23 TV ratings as it recorded its highest primary and network shares of the year. While Seven’s much-discussed refreshed reality formats have contributed this year, it was a Spotlight episode on UFOs and then the AFL’s Saturday Dreamtime clash that did the heavy lifting this week. 7mate shared multichannel leadership with 10 Bold – both of them on 4.0%.
Nine dipped 0.2 week-on-week with its equal lowest primary share since January. ABC was down 0.5 and SBS was steady with primary share on 4.9%.
Seven 21.0% primary share, 30.8% network share
The TV ratings week started strongly for Seven with its Spotlight special from producer Mark Llewellyn delivery again. The UFO special became the third of three to crack 700,000.
The Covid impacted AFL round again found good audiences. After 679,000 for the Friday game in Week 22, the Saturday game saw the biggest audience for that night this year with 675,000 watching the Dreamtime clash from Perth featuring Melbourne-based teams Richmond defeat Essendon. A second week featuring Melbourne Demons on Friday night also delivered another close to 700,000 audience.
Big Brother’s best was 602,000 on Wednesday.
Home and Away averaged 584,000, close to the previous week’s 586,000.
Nine 18.8% primary share, 26.5% network share
For the second successive week primary share only made it to 20% or better on one night.
A Current Affair recorded its best week of 2021 with an average audience of 722,000 as Leila McKinnon filled in as guest host.
The Sunday edition of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia was the highest-rating non-news show with 690,000/796,000 for the Sunday episode.
Next best in the 7.30pm timeslot was Travel Guides on 662,000.
60 Minutes slipped to 517,000 after 551,000 a week ago.
10 11.7% primary share, 18.8% network share
Have You Been Paying Attention? made it to the top 10 with 759,000, up from 731,000 the week prior. The episode was the #1 show for the week with viewers 25-54.
MasterChef Australia on Monday was next best with 661,000 total people and it ranked #2 entertainment show for the week 25-54. The five episodes of the cooking show was in a band that dipped as low as 546,000 for the Wednesday episode.
The Project is getting oh-so-close to again averaging half a million. The 7pm portion last week climbing to 486,000 after 453,000 previously.
ABC 11.1% primary share, 15.7% network share
Hard Quiz dropped 10,000 week-on-week, but was still the channel’s best non-news on 662,000 and not far behind the average watching the 7pm news – 688,000.
7.30 was just over 600,000 and Australian Story just under.
The half a million club also included Mad As Hell (578,000), Brush with Fame (542,000) and Four Corners (503,000).
SBS 4.9% primary share, 8.2% network share
The biggest crowd tuned in for Walking Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green – 218,000.
The Tuesday episode of Insight was the only other program to grab a six-figure audience that started with a “2” – 204,000.
See also: Week 22 TV ratings: Seven’s News, crime, soap and reality mix regains top spot