Seven was a clear Friday TV ratings winner with the AFL match between Geelong and St Kilda securing the victory. The AFL had a metro audience of 551,000.
NRL states got a taste of the Magic Round with another one-sided contest as Manly thumped Brisbane with 310,000 watching in metro markets on Nine and 9Gem.
Before the football started A Current Affair was a winner with 558,000 at 7pm, well ahead of the other daily current affairs offering The Project on 324,000.
The ABC’s post-7.30pm Friday offerings continue to do well with Gardening Australia on 438,000 as Costa visited the NSW Southern Highlands. UK crime drama Vera followed with 486,000 watching.
Seven’s Friday night lifestyle staple Better Homes and Gardens managed 414,000 across the primary channel and 7TWO.
10’s best was the aforementioned The Project which was followed by The Living Room on 287,000.
SBS News at 6.30pm had the channel’s biggest audience with 172,000. Later in the night the channel helped people get in the mood for the forthcoming European song contest with the hilarious movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga on 114,000.
Friday TV ratings metro shares primary and network
ABC 14.6% (19.3%)
Seven 23.3% (33.6%)
Nine 16.6% (24.4%)
10 8.1% (14.4%)
SBS 4.8% (4.2%)
See also: Weekend TV ratings Friday May 7, 2021
Friday TV ratings Metro top 20 all people
| 1 | NINE NEWS | Channel 9 | 828,000 |
| 2 | SEVEN NEWS | Channel 7 | 823,000 |
| 3 | NINE NEWS 6:30 | Channel 9 | 778,000 |
| 4 | SEVEN NEWS AT 6.30 | Channel 7 | 770,000 |
| 5 | ABC NEWS | ABC TV | 568,000 |
| 6 | A CURRENT AFFAIR | Channel 9 | 558,000 |
| 7 | SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | 7mate, Channel 7 | 551,000 |
| 8 | VERA (R) | ABC TV | 486,000 |
| 9 | THE CHASE AUSTRALIA | Channel 7 | 451,000 |
| 10 | HOT SEAT | Channel 9 | 447,000 |
| 11 | GARDENING AUSTRALIA | ABC TV | 438,000 |
| 12 | BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS | 7TWO, Channel 7 | 414,000 |
| 13 | SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL – PRE MATCH | 7mate, Channel 7 | 326,000 |
| 14 | THE PROJECT 7PM | Channel 10 | 324,000 |
| 15 | 10 NEWS FIRST | Channel 10 | 313,000 |
| 16 | THE CHASE AUSTRALIA 5PM | Channel 7 | 311,000 |
| 17 | FRIDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE | Gem, Channel 9 | 310,000 |
| 18 | HOT SEAT 5PM | Channel 9 | 288,000 |
| 19 | SUNRISE | Channel 7 | 288,000 |
| 20 | THE LIVING ROOM | Channel 10 | 287,000 |
Friday TV Sports FTA and STV
NRL
#NRLManlyBroncos
Nine/Gem 488,000 (Metro 310,000 Regional 178,000)
Fox League 249,000
#NRLTigersKnights
Fox League 248,000
AFL
#AFLSaintsCats
Seven/7mate 743,000 (Metro 551,000 Regional 192,000)
Fox Footy 191,000
A-League Fox Sports
#MACvMVC 12,000