Grand Final of House Rules did the business for Seven last night with some very good figures (which were unimaginable when the series started three months ago, especially to me!). It averaged 2.866 million national/ 1.837 million/ 1.029 million regional viewers (very, very high figure for the regions) and won Seven the night. It also gave Seven a big win in regional markets last night.

Nine’s The Block did well in comparison — 1.784 million national/ 1.227 million metro/ 557,000 regional, and the way is now clear for it to end its season with a bang. But it doesn’t have the countrywide appeal that House Rules quickly built up, especially in Adelaide and Perth and in the huge regional markets, where House Rules whipped it most nights. What’s the betting that The Block‘s producers and Nine are thinking of having a two city version next year because of the success of House Rules? Seven started Red Widow after House Rules last night, and the audience halved to 1.350 million national/901,000 metro/ 449,000 regional viewers. Will go lower without help from a strong lead in program.

Ten was sad, bad and very weak last night — MasterChef — 882,000 national/ 646,000 metro/ 232,000 regional viewers for the now traditional immunity contest, which is usually a solid performing episode. The trumped-up second episode of The Biggest Loser’s Biggest Makeovers belly flopped with 544,000 national/ 395,000 metro/ 149,000 regional viewers. The Americans. which followed at 9.30pm fell even further (despite the general applause from critics) and averaged 232,000 national/ 172,000 metro/ 60,000 regional viewers.  Not many “young at heart 25 to 54s” in those figures, just people asleep or too slow to change channels. In regional markets Ten’s share last night in prime time was 6.6%. The third stage of the Tour de France on SBS ONE from 10 pm (Not World News Late as The SMH guides had) averaged 372,000 national/ 271,000 metro/ 99,000 regional viewers, beating Ten. Great win for Australia’s Orica GreenEdge’s Simon Gerrans. By around 11pm SBS was winning the ratings as the stage dominated viewing.

MediaWatch‘s Jonathan Holmes signed off last night with 1.180 million national/ 796,000 metro/ 384,000 regional viewers, and reminded us of some of the atrocities the program had covered during his time. The Oscar went to News Ltd, but I would have had Alan “Gloria” Jones as a real contender. And we have another final tonight — Packed To The Rafters on Seven at 8.30pm. And the third series of Kitchen Cabinet starts on ABC 1 at 8pm at the right time for once with real politics in the air.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (33.3%)
  2. Nine (25.7%)
  3. ABC (19.8%)
  4. Ten (14.8%)
  5. SBS (6.4%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (25.1%)
  2. Nine (19.4%)
  3. ABC1 (15.8%)
  4. Ten (9.7%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.5%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO  (4.5%)
  2. GO (3.9%)
  3. 7mate (3.7%)
  4. Eleven (3.0%)
  5. Gem (2.4%) 

Top 10 national programs:

  1. House Rules -Winner Announced (Seven) — 2.866 million
  2. House Rules — Grand Final (Seven) — 2.421 million
  3. Seven News — 2.059 million
  4. Nine News  – 2.030 million
  5. The Bock (Nine) — 1.784 million
  6. ABC1 News — 1.510 million
  7. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.406 million
  8. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.406 million
  9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.376 million
  10. Red Widow (Seven) — 1.350 million 

Top metro programs:

  1. House Rules -Winner Announced (Seven) — 1.837 million
  2. House Rules -Grand Final  (Seven) — 1.530 million
  3. Nine News — 1.349 million
  4. Seven News — 1.324 million
  5. The Block (Nine) — 1.227 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.147 million
  7. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.120 million 

Losers:  Ten (See above). 

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.349 million
  2.  Seven News — 1.324 million
  3. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.147 million
  4.  Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.120 million
  5. ABC1 News — 985,000
  6. Four Corners (ABC1) — 846,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC1) — 838,000
  8. Australian Story (ABC 1) — 824,000
  9. Q&A (ABC1, 720,000 + 96,000 on News 24) –816,000
  10. MediaWatch (ABC1) –– 796,000

Metro morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 363,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 316,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC1) – 55,000 + 41,000 on News 24 

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Sports 1 (3.4%)
  2. Fox 8 – (2.6)%
  3. Cartoon Network, LifeStyle, TV1 – (2.0%)
  4. Foxtel Movie premiere – (1.8%)
  5. Disney Channel (1.8)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. NRL: Easts v Manly (Fox Sports 1) – 277,000
  2. Monday Night With Matty Johns  (Fox Sports 1) – 173,000
  3. AFL: On The Couch  (Fox Footy) – 112,000
  4. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 111,000
  5. AFL: Open Mike  (Fox Footy) – 101,000 

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM. (All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people.) Plus network reports.