Australian Story at 8pm on the ABC: The first part of Sally Faulkner’s story was OK, viewers though were not much interested compared with Talitha Cummins’ story the Monday night before about her battle with the bottle. 1.037 million national viewers watched Australian Story nationally last night, including 688,000 in the metros. The Monday before 1.226 million watched with 816,000 in the metros. Viewers have made their minds up about her and her side of this rotten story. Next Monday night will have to be pretty sensational to change their minds. There are no losers, except for her former husband who comes across as a ratbag/conman.

Nine News is weakening slowly. Seven News doing better everywhere, also slowly. Nine News struggling to get a million viewers in the metros most nights now. Seven News not all that troubled to hit that benchmark.

7.30 had a ripper of a story on a shonk ensnaring people in his corporate rebirthing of Phoenixing scams. That was a top story. Four Corners; story on children in detention was worthy, but viewers didn’t want to know: just 780,000 nationally, including 550,000 in the metros. A similar reaction to the Sally Faulkner story, but that doesn’t mean both stories should not have been told. They need to be told, and viewers should be allowed to make their own minds up. Q&A got 679,000 nationally with more politics, industrial relations and a panel dominated by right-wing moaners.

But at least John Roskam from the IPA spoke candidly about Donald Trump and his sex tape comments, unlike Tony Abbott who attempted to straddle both sides and got a part of his anatomy in some barbed wire on Sky News last week. Grace Collier though (a wannabe conservative, union bashing lawyer) was a panel member last night and she ended up in barbed wire from trying to have a bit both ways on Trump and his comments. She just didn’t understand their grubbiness. Mrs Melania Trump went on CNN overnight (yes, the ‘liberal’ CNN that is part of Donald Trump’s media conspiracy, so he will say and do whatever suits his case) to claim that her husband was egged on by the then NBC TV star, Billy Bush (yes he’s part of THAT family). A bit late for that weak excuse.

Nine and Seven sort of shared. Nine won the demos with The Block, while Ten was very solid (Australian Survivor, 1.037 nationally and Have You Been Paying Attention, 974,000 nationally). Seven again did much better in the regions.

The top five regional programs last night were: Seven News with 621,000, The Secret Daughter with 543,000, Home and Away with 503,000, Seven News/Today Tonight with 478,000 and fifth was The Chase Australia 5.30pm with 452,000.

Cold Feet (Seven, 9pm) has been renewed for a second season in the UK, thanks to continuing solid ratings. Seven will be happy, it needs a solid foreign drama to bolster its line up. Cold Feet’s first series in 13 years ends next Monday night in the UK. — Click here to read Glenn Dyer’s full TV Ratings.