Channel Nine’s decision to fly family members to Columbia to cover Cassie Sainsbury’s arrest for cocaine has proven a hit with 60 Minutes viewers after 956,000 tuned in last night, the program’s highest rating episode of 2017.

But rather than a “poor little Aussie girl set-up with drugs” story, Sainsbury was revealed as a compulsive liar who had allegedly worked as a prostitute in a Sydney brothel and had faked her own mother’s death for financial gain.

The 60 Minutes story also expanded on the allegations that Sainsbury was merely a mule of an international drug syndicate who had allegedly threatened to murder her family if she didn’t carry the drugs to Australia.

The report is certain to do more harm than good for the 22-year-old’s chances when she next fronts a judge after getting busted with 5.8 kilos of cocaine in her luggage. If found guilty, Sainsbury faces 20 years in prison.

Over at rival Seven’s Sunday Night – which featured a paid interview with Sainsbury’s fiancé, Scott Broadbridge – it drew 861,000 viewers. Sainsbury’s lawyers lost a Supreme Court bid to block the interview.

The strength of the 60 Minutes audience saw Nine win Sunday night according to OzTam figures. Nine had 30.7 per cent of the audience share, followed by Seven with 29.6 per cent, Ten with 18.4 per cent, the ABC with 14.7 per cent and SBS with 6.6 per cent.

Nine’s The Voice won the battle of the reality shows with 1.06 million, while MasterChef‘s appeal continues to grow posting its best Sunday night with 839,000 viewers.

Seven news was the most watched show of the night with 1.23 million viewers and House Rules went over the million-mark with 1.05 million.

Thankfully for Ten, it’s back in third spot on the Sunday night viewing figures – thanks to MasterChef – after it was regularly being beating by the ABC.

ABC’s Sunday night news was the best for Aunty with 764,000, followed by Grantchester (569,000) and Doctor Who (422,000).