Ratings: My Kitchen Rules Winner's Announcement number one program of 2016

Last night’s My Kitchen Rules Winner’s Announcement drew an estimated audience of 1.97 million metropolitan viewers making it 2016’s top rated program so far while the bulk of the final averaged 1.8 million.

The final concluded another winning year for Seven’s most popular reality format. After premiering in early February it has delivered an average of 1.46 million overnight metro viewers (1.6m consolidated) to be the dominant program on almost every night it was shown. In keeping with recent seasons, weeks two and three delivered its best numbers averaging over 1.6 million with following weeks progressively falling until week 15 when the average audience was 1.26 million. As the finals approached, the audience improved until the second semi final had 1.63 million on Monday.

The numbers reflected a general downward trend for stripped reality shows with the 2015 season averaging 1.55 million and the 2014 season delivering an average audience of 1.75 million. The preliminary numbers for last night’s final are down slightly from last year when the Winner’s Announcement had 2.1 million watching while the main part of the program grabbed 2.08 million. Previous years saw 2.6 million in 2014, 3.1 million in 2013 and 2.8 million in 2012 watch the winner’s announcement segment.

Such numbers ensured Seven a massive audience share of 40.5%, its best for the year, leaving 20.0% for Nine, 18.3% for Ten, ABC on 15.5% and SBS 5.7%.

Also on Seven, Seven News rated 1,150,000 and 1,072,000 with Home and Away on 860,000 in the 7pm slot. Early numbers show Seven Year Switch as the lead out from My Kitchen Rules on 786,000 with the afternoon’s The Chase drawing an audience of 634,000 and 376,000.

Nine News (1,085,000 and 1,072,000) got Nine’s prime time off to a good start followed by A Current Affair the number one 7pm show with 918,000. Hot Seat managed 568,000 but Nine’s post 7.30pm schedule missed the top twenty with Cats v Dogs: Which Is Best? on 421,000 and the final of Reno Rumble with just 249,000, a new season low.

Meanwhile, Ten’s best title was The Project (597,000 and 488,000) followed by NCIS on 568,000. The factual pairing of Bondi Rescue (560,000) and Territory Cops (519,000) held onto their audience with Family Feud (536,000) and Ten Eyewitness News (514,000) also making the top twenty. Later, NCIS: Los Angeles was watched by 474,000.

Over on ABC, ABC News (836,000) and 7.30 (641,000) topped the public broadcaster’s night with Catalyst holding up well on 565,000. Other tiles were Keeping Australia Alive (459,000), Foreign Correspondent (400,000) and Antiques Roadshow (328,000).

For SBS, Great Continental Railways (281,000) and Insight (208,000) were the best titles.

On Tuesday morning, Today Extra grabbed 150,000 viewers to better The Morning Show on 148,000 while Studio 10 averaged 67,000. Earlier, Nine’s Today won the breakfast spot with 349,000 ahead of Sunrise on Seven with 328,000.

See [Tuesday 26 April 2016] (http://forums.mediaspy.org/t/tuesday-26-april-2016/1178) for a more detailed look at the ratings numbers in the Media Spy forums.

Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2016. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM.