So how did the final of My Kitchen Rules rate last night? Winningly, but compared to 2016, poorly. In fact MKR shed 22% of its 2016 audience last night. But on the plus side, House Rules’ series return had an audience jump of more than 30%.

The winner’s announcement part of MKR averaged 2.15 million people nationally last night, a very big audience. But that was down sharply from the 2.75 million the same segment averaged for the 2016 winner’s announcement. The grand final (the lead up to the winner’s announcement) last night averaged 2.02 million nationally, down 20% or 554,000 viewers from 2.576 million in 2016.

In the metros the winner’s announced fell to 1.48 million from 1.96 million in 2016. And the rest of MKR averaged 1.39 million against 1.82 million. In the regions the winner’s announcement fell to 669,000 from 788,000 last year while the Grand Final lead up fell to 630,000 from 755,000

The audience for House Rules, though, jumped to  an average of 1.53 million nationally (1 million in the metros and 530,000 in the regions). A year ago it averaged 1.167 million nationally with 718,000 in the metros and 450,000. In 2016 it was up against the final of Nine’s Married at First Sight, this year it was against The Voice. A much stronger return last night will encourage Seven. The Voice was solid with 1.68 million viewers (1.19 million in the metros and 489,000 in the regions). That was a pretty solid result given the competition.

In the regions the top programs were: MKR winner’s announcement with 669,000, then Seven News with 649,000, the MKR Grand Final was 3rd with 630,000, then House Rules on 530,000 and The Voice was 5th with 489,000.

In the morning insiders with 524,000 viewers nationally was well ahead of Weekend Sunrise (482,000) and Weekend Today (383,000).

So it was an easy win for Seven in the metros and the regions. Ten again faded and its main channel share was 6.5%. Not convincing and nothing there to build a platform on. That test starts tonight with the 2017 return of Masterchef Australia. Up against House Rules and The Voice and the usually solid Monday night news and current affairs line up on the ABC. Ten will beat the ABC, but its commercial rivals?

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (36.9%)
  2. Nine (29.3%)
  3. ABC (13.8%)
  4. Ten (12.3%)
  5. SBS (7.7%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (29.1%)
  2. Nine (22.1%)
  3. ABC (10.1%)
  4. Ten (6.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (5.0%)
  2. Gem (3.7%)
  3. 7mate (3.2%)
  4. GO (3.1%)
  5. ONE (3.0%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. MKR Winner Announced (Seven) — 2.15 million
  2. MKR Grand Final (Seven) — 2.02 million
  3. Seven News  — 1.84 million
  4. The Voice (Nine) — 1.68 million
  5. House Rules (Seven) — 1.53 million
  6. Nine News — 1.51 million
  7. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.15 million
  8. 7pm ABC News — 1.11 million
  9. Grandchester (ABC) — 808,000
  10. Dr Who (ABC) — 693,000

Top metro programs:

  1. MKR Winner Announced (Seven) — 1.48 million
  2. MKR Grand Final (Seven) — 1.39 million
  3. The Voice (Nine) — 1.19 million
  4. Seven News — 1.19 million
  5. Nine News — 1.06 million
  6. The Voice — 1 million

Losers: Ten.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.19 million
  2. Nine News — 1.06 million
  3. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 827,000
  4. 7pm ABC News — 775,000
  5. Ten Eyewitness News — 324,000
  6. SBS World News — 207,000

Morning TV:

  1. Insiders (ABC, 365,000, 159,000 on ABC News) — 524,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 440,000
  3. Landline (ABC) — 423,000
  4. Weekend Today (Nine) — 383,000
  5. Sports Sunday (Nine)  — 158,000
  6. Today Extra (Nine) — 231,000
  7. Offsiders (ABC) — 212,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Footy (6.1%)
  2. Fox League (4.1%)
  3. Fox Sports 503 (2.5%
  4. Fox 8  (2.1%)
  5. Fox Sports 506 (2.0%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: Adelaide v Richmond (Fox Footy) — 255,000
  2. NRL: St George v Melbourne (Fox League) — 227,000
  3. NRL: Auckland v Easts (Fox League) — 195,000
  4. AFL: Essendon v Melbourne (Fox Footy) — 186,000
  5. AFL: Geelong v Collingwood (Fox Sports 503) — 160,000