Sure, it’s only February, but Nine’s Married At First Sight is already laying claim as the TV event of 2019 after it soared to new heights overnight.

Viewers are clearly loving this year’s series with its younger, more attractive and more sexually charged cast with an extraordinary 1.282 million tuning in last night according to OzTAM five city metro numbers.

MAFS dominance again left its rivals licking their wounds. MKR fought to a valiant 816,000, while I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here did less well, posting 537,000.

Nine and MAFS’ producers Endemol Shine have clearly amped-up the sex appeal of this year’s series and the lascivious nature of the contestants and the potential for plenty of bed-hopping between newlyweds.

At last night’s dinner party, participant “Innes” described her match as “looking like an absolute porn star”.

“I feel like this season’s gonna be different. I feel like everyone’s gonna be getting new husbands,” Innes told the other dinner guests. “I wouldn’t be surprised if this turned into a massive sex party… I’ve got premonitions that this is gonna happen!”

Unsurprisingly, Nine again took the honours for audience share for Wednesday with 32.9 per cent. Seven – on the back of its news and catch-up – posted 28.6 per cent. 10 took third and 17.2 per cent, the ABC had 14.8 per cent and SBS had 6.5 per cent.

Other highlights for Nine included its 6pm news with 889,000, ACA with 726,000, New Amsterdam with 489,000 and Hot Seat with 448,000.

Seven did well with its 6pm news that pulled 943,000, The Chase with 516,000 and Undercurrent: Real Murder Investigation that didn’t really kill it with 466,000.

Highlights for 10 included The Project with 403,000 and 10 News First with 388,000.

The ABC’s evening ran this way: 7pm news (618,000), Hard Quiz (572,000), 7.30 (496,000) and Rosehaven (447,000).

SBS’s best was a repeat of Great British Railway Journeys that chugged to 170,000.