‘Game of Thrones’ (Photo credit: Helen Sloane/HBO)
The premiere of the final season of Game of Thrones has shattered Foxtel’s viewing records, ranking as the biggest daily VPM (video player measurement) audience across Australian television this year.
The Winterfell episode was watched by an overnight linear audience of 962,000, a 17 percent increase on the season seven premiere in 2017.
During the day 330,000 people streamed it live or on demand across Foxtel Now and Foxtel GO – the biggest daily VPM audience for 2019.
The six-episode final season of HBO’s global powerhouse transports viewers back to Westeros where White Walkers and the army of the dead led by the Night King have broken through the fabled wall and started their deadly march on the Seven Kingdoms.
Brian Walsh, Foxtel executive director of TV, said: “Yesterday’s viewership is a testament to the hunger that fans have had over the past two years for the return of the unrivalled action, drama and intrigue that only Game of Thrones can deliver and we are thrilled with the result. Frankly there is no other show like it. It is the television series of a generation.
“On demand streaming of all past seasons of Game of Thrones on Fox Showcase was higher than ever as fans binged in anticipation of the season premiere and we fully expect today’s record breaking numbers to grow as even more customers continue watch encore screenings and relive the action on demand.”
The cast includes Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kit Harington, Maisie Williams, Alfie Allen, John Bradley, Gwendoline Christie, Liam Cunningham, Nathalie Emmanuel and Isaac Hempstead Wright.
In the US the episode drew 17.4 million viewers across linear HBO, HBOGo and HBO Now, an all-time record for the broadcaster.
Season 8 streams on Fox Showcase every Monday at 11 am AEST with an encore at 8.30 pm AEST. It is also available to stream from Fox Showcase On Demand following the 11 am stream.
Every Monday at 9.30 pm Foxtel is streaming Thrones 360 LIVE, where the hosts, former Channel [V] and Australian Idol host James Mathison and Stephanie ‘Hex’ Bendixsen join a live audience to recap that day’s episode with celebrity guests and die-hard GoT fans.