• The Weakest Link returns after 19 years
Primetime News
Seven News 1,055,000/ 1,020,000
Nine News 974,000/ 920,000
ABC News 706,000
10 News First 382,000 (5:00 pm)/ 272,000 (6:00 pm)
SBS World News 172,000/129,000
Daily current affairs
A Current Affair 689,000
The Project 309,000 (6:30 pm)/ 489,000 (7 pm)
The Drum 172,000
Breakfast TV
Sunrise 253,000
Today 206,000
News Breakfast 170,000
Late News
Nine News Late Edition 71,000
ABC Late News 142,000
The Latest 91,000
Nine
Nine had the top primary share last night with 19.4%, edging out Seven which had 19.2%
Celebrity Apprentice had 567,000 watch its third episode with 646,000 tuning in for the final boardroom decision.
This ends the show’s first week with Nine’s new tentpole recording ratings of:
Sunday May 23: 682,000/812,000
Monday May 24: 545,000/611,000
Tuesday May 25: 567/646,000
In last night’s episode, the two teams were tasked with running a Yum Cha service for the local Cabravale Diggers Club, with Lord Sugar choosing the project managers in Olivia Vivian for Team Momentum, and Anthony Callea for Team Fun-Raisers.
Team Fun-Raisers earned the win by only $150 over Team Momentum and raised an additional $20,000 for Anthony Callea’s chosen charity, the Children’s Cancer Foundation.
This meant Team Momentum had to face Lord Sugar in the boardroom with Vivian joined by Shaynna Blaze and Martha Kalifatidis on the chopping block. After a fiery back and forth between Kalifatidis and Vivian the later was sent home for her aimless project management.
Celebrity Apprentice was followed by the return of The Weakest Link which had been left on the shelf since it last aired on Channel Seven in 2002.
This time around the refreshed series swapped out the late great Cornelia Frances for Magda Szubanski as she put contestants through their paces as they competed, backstabbed and embarrassed themselves in hope of winning up to $250,000. The episode had 423,000 viewers in the 9pm slot.
“As promised, Magda embraced the role with her own unique comedic brilliance. We’re extremely happy with the launch of The Weakest Link which won its timeslot and led in all the key demographics,” said Hamish Turner, Nine’s program director. “The show demonstrates our continued commitment to investing in Australian content in the primetime schedule and achieved everything we wanted.”
The Weakest Link was fittingly followed by a double episode of Kath and Kim which features Szubanski’s most iconic role of Sharon Strzelecki – Kim’s “second-best friend”. The repeats had ratings of 180,000 and 128,000.
Seven
Seven had the top network share last night with 28.3% and also the top multichannel with 7TWO having a share of 3.4%.
Home and Away had 613,000 viewers last night and was the top non-news program on Seven. Outside of the boardroom decision on Celebrity Apprentice, Home and Away was also the #1 non-news program for the entire evening.
Big Brother followed with 575,000 viewers as SJ partnered up with Christina and Danny to weaken Jess’ alliance.
In the challenge, Tilly took down Jess, winning her fourth nomination challenge and nominated Mitch, Ari and Brenton. SJ and Danny got to work, rallying troops to get Mitch out of the equation.
In the eviction room, Jess was confident she had the numbers on Brenton, however, SJ and Danny were triumphant in their blindside and Mitch became the next walking dead housemate.
The Good Doctor then followed with 286,000, which was down on last week’s 294,000.
10
The Project had 309,000 and 489,000 as the panel covered the latest Covid outbreak and how potatoes could help reduce the plastic problem.
MasterChef then had 549,000 watch as medical student Eric was sent home after the pressure test.
Sabina, Eric, Brent and Scott competed in the challenge which was presented by guest chef Clinton McIver from Amaru.
McIver revealed that the dish was aged lamb with flowering legumes and the contestants were shocked to find only a black blindfold underneath the cloche. They would be cooking the dish sight unseen.
Jock said Eric’s dish was the furthest away from McIver’s, the thin lamb was not cooked consistently given its uneven butchery.
How to Stay Married was up next with 219,000 with Greg (Peter Helliar) having to discuss death with his family after the untimely passing of Chloe’s (Vivien Turner) pet turtle.
ABC
Anh’s Brush with Fame featured Li Cunxin whose life story was portrayed in the book and film Mao’s Last Dancer. 558,000 watch as Anh Doh tried to capture Cunxin’s poise and humility on the canvas.
Up next was Love on the Spectrum with 447,000 which was up on last week’s season premiere of 402,000 viewers.
Louis Theroux: Shooting Joe Exotic then had 233,000 tune in.
SBS
The top programs on SBS last night was Insight with 201,000 and a repeat of Who Do You Think You Are? with 200,000.
