The premiere of Nine’s romantic reality show When Love Comes to Town drew fewer than 900,000 viewers in the five capital cities on Tuesday night but won its timeslot.
Meanwhile the second series of prison drama Wentworth kicked off on SoHo, ranking as the fourth highest launch on the platform this year behind Game of Thrones series 4, River Cottage Australia season 2 and Real Housewives of Melbourne.
The Endemol Australia production hosted by Natalie Gruzlewski follows 12 single city girls in a nationwide search to find “the one.” The first episode attracted 868,000 viewers in the capitals and 1.257 million nationally, beating Seven’s Resurrection’s 857,000; however the US fantasy drama was more popular nationally with 1.352 million.
When Love Comes to Town was No. 1 in all people and those aged 25-54, 18-49 and16-39 in the five capitals.
John Doyle and Tim Flannery's sojourn in Shanghai in ABC1's Two Men in China attracted 698,000.
FremantleMedia Australia’s Wentworth had 75,000 viewers for the first viewing and a cumulative average of 132,000 overnight. "Foxtel viewers are well accustomed to time shift viewing and catch up, so we expect more strong numbers across the full week’s airings of episode one and will have a comprehensive audience result when those figures are available next month," Brian Walsh, Foxtel executive director of television, tells IF from the LA Screenings.
"We’re very proud of Wentworth’s bold storytelling and last night's result again demonstrates our subscribers’ commitment to quality drama."
The first season of Wentworth was the most watched non-sports program in Australian pay-TV television history and has sparked remakes in Germany and Holland. Across the 10 episodes Wentworth reached 1.868 million unique viewers – 26% of Foxtel subscribers.
Nine’s The Voice was the night’s No.1 show, pulling in 1.714 million/2.396 million. Seven’s House Rules had 1.146 million/1.874 million.
The Nine Network won the night with 25-54 (35.8%), 18-49 (35.9%), 16-39 (33.7%) and all people (32.8%) across the 5-city metros.