The Block: Fans v Faves rating’s mimicked the auction prices of its apartments last night by pushing above the two million mark in what proved to be a surprising finale.
More than two million people (2.181 million) watched last night as underdogs, Chantelle and Steve, won the contest to take home a total $736,000 in prize money. Ratings for the winners announced segment push above three million to 3.086 million when regional viewers are included.
Chantelle Ford, a milliner, and Steve O'Donnell, a chimney sweep, were not favourites to win. The pair had no renovation experience and were up against two seasoned The Block teams while fellow 'faves' Kyal and Kara had renovated previously a house together and Kyal is a carpenter.
The auctions section of the broadcast won 2.156 million viewers for Nine, according to OzTam’s preliminary metro ratings.
The grand final segment pulled in 1.884 million.
While the finale of series eight broke records in terms of contestants’ prize money, they all took home more than half a million dollars, it did not break The Block’s ratings records.
The finale of Fans v Faves fell short of the previous season’s finale which ended with 2.808 million metro viewers watching the winner announced episode. The Block: Sky High auctions were watched by 2.606 million and the grand final by 2.132 million.
The Block: Sky High, which wrapped on a Sunday, pushed Nine’s share of all free-to-air viewers to more than 40%.
Last night Nine’s total share of FTA viewers was pushed to a total 36.1% by the Wednesday night finale.
Seven was not too far behind with a combined 33%.
Nine’s primary channel won 29.3% ahead of the 26.9% share Seven won.
Nine used The Block to launch its new American sitcom Mom which managed to stay above the million mark (1.107 million). While more than half of The Block’s winner announced 2.181 million viewers did not stay tuned to Nine for Mom the comedy did outperform Seven’s Mrs. Brown’s Boys (1.044 million).
My Kitchen Rules came fourth overall last night as 1.645 million people chose to stay tuned to the cooking competition.
Ten’s drama Puberty Blues could not compete Seven and Nine’s programming last night as its viewers dropped to only 384,000 people, a fall from last week’s 464,000.
Ten’s combined share was 13% last night with 7.5% for its primary channel.
The ABC sat on a total 14% with 9.5% for ABC1. SBS won a total 3.8% with 3% going to SBS ONE.
