Surprise surprise, Nine’s Married At First Sight was a big hit on Sunday night, pulling a massive total TV national reach of 3,136,000 and an average audience of 1,965,000, making it the clear standout program of the weekend.
The reality show dwarfed its competitors and topped the charts, continuing its run as the biggest entertainment program on Australian television. It also delivered a huge BVOD audience of 673,000.
The drama reached boiling point during the commitment ceremony, where tensions around the season’s ongoing “mean girl” feud finally exploded. Bride Juliette turned on former ally Gia, accusing her of secretly sending “receipts” – screenshots intended to be used against fellow bride Bec – while pretending to stay neutral.
As the experts and other couples questioned Juliette’s own behaviour, the confrontation spiralled. In a fiery exit, Juliette slammed her decision card onto the table, lashed out at husband Joel, telling him to “f*** off” and calling him a “pig,” before storming out of the experiment entirely, bringing the night to a dramatic close.
That momentum carried through the evening for Nine, with 60 Minutes following up with a reach of 2,289,000 and average audience of 806,000, while 9News Sunday also performed strongly with 1,190,000 viewers on average and a reach of 2,211,000.
Seven remained competitive on the night thanks to its news and entertainment slate. Seven News Sunday recorded the biggest news bulletin of the evening with 1,267,000 average viewers and a reach of 2,141,000, while Australian Idol attracted a reach of 1,993,000 and an average audience of 874,000.
ABC also delivered a solid Sunday line-up. ABC News Sunday drew 872,000 viewers, while The Piano reached 1,070,000 Australians and averaged 681,000, placing it firmly among the evening’s top programs.
Sport continued to feature heavily across the weekend schedule.
On Sunday afternoon, Nine’s NRL coverage drew 1,051,000 viewers in reach with 459,000 watching on average, while Seven’s AFL coverage reached 934,000 with an average audience of 297,000.
Earlier in the weekend, Friday night delivered a strong sporting contest between codes. Seven’s AFL: Friday Night Football reached 1,697,000 Australians with an average audience of 557,000, while Nine’s Friday Night NRL Live drew 1,561,000 in reach and 693,000 average viewers.
Meanwhile, Network 10 scored a strong result with its broadcast of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which reached 1,361,000 viewers nationally and averaged 634,000, with a further 80,000 watching via BVOD.
Saturday proved to be a steadier night for broadcast TV, with news and lifestyle programming dominating the charts.
Seven News Saturday topped the evening with a reach of 1,580,000 and 958,000 average viewers, ahead of 9News Saturday, which delivered a reach of 1,324,000 and 798,000 average viewers.
Better Homes and Gardens continued its reliable run for Seven, reaching 1,069,000 viewers and averaging 452,000, while Nine’s A Current Affair Saturday reached 992,000 with 587,000 viewers on average.
Across the weekend, the results highlight the strength of news, reality television and live sport in driving Australia’s biggest TV audiences.
