The reality stage was cleared for the special edition of MasterChef Australia last night but television viewer’s minds were on their wallets, not their stomachs.
News programs dominated Thursday evening as viewers tuned in for updates on the new federal budget.
Seven News was the most watched show of the evening with 1.152 million viewers, followed by Seven News/Today Tonight in second with an audience of 1.038 million people.
Nine’s news programs were in second place with 1.007 million for Nine News and 966,000 for Nine News at 6.30.
When 7.30 rolled around the majority of viewers were still glued to Seven’s soapy Home and Away with just 578,000 watching the special MasterChef Australia: Class of 2014 program.
Home and Away kicked off at 7pm and run until 8pm. With 783,000 viewers Home and Away was second only to the 30-minute edition of Nine’s A Current Affair (805,000).
MasterChef Australia: Class of 2014 did beat Nine’s Top Gear and the ABC’s Budget 2014: Budget Reply (542,000).
The ABC won the 8.30pm slot with its Call the Midwife winning 757,000 viewers.
Seven dominated Thursday evening with a total 30.5% share of all free-to-air viewers and 23.1% for its primary channel.
Nine was in second place on a combined 24.2% with 17.6% for its main channel.
Ten was again in third place on a total 20.3%. Its main channel won 12.4% which is less than the ABC1’s 13.3%.
The ABC won a total 18.7%.
SBS was in last place with a total 6.3%, 5.3% of that went to SBS ONE.
