(Image: Nine)

The Block has returned to Nine — 1.24 million down 98,000 from the 1.33 million for the launch program for the 2019 season.

It did well, but was beaten in total people, easily, by Farmer Wants A Wife on Seven with 1.40 million. There’s an irony there as Farmer is a Nine discard.

Farmer again did very well in regional markets — second on the night with 536,000 people, well ahead of the 288,000 for The Block (which is very citified and Melbourne to boot).

Vera had 1.03 million — the most popular drama on Australian TV in 2020. It is also the best performed drama for the ABC (Hard Quiz is the best performed non-news program for the ABC this year).

The big question is what Ten does if and when The Masked Singer (TMS) runs out of new episodes after being stopped by COVID-19 in its Melbourne production hub. It is out of production for at least 14 days.

Nine’s Millionaire Hot Seat — from 5pm to 6pm — is currently showing a mix of new and repeat episodes. It is produced in the same Docklands hub.

Ten’s The Bachelor is also interrupted because host Osher Gunsberg is host of TMS. The Block was interrupted for 40 days. Bad luck all round.

Insiders on ABC TV 633,000 and equal-10th nationally for the third Sunday in a row.

In regional markets Seven News, 585,000, Farmer Wants A Wife, 536,000, 7pm ABC News, 364,000; Nine News, 363,000, Vera, 342,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (31.7%)
  2. Seven (28.7%)
  3. ABC (18.6%)
  4. Ten (12.5%)
  5. SBS (8.6%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (23.1%)
  2. Seven (19.8%)
  3. ABC (14.9%)
  4. Ten (7.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7mate (4.9%)
  2. GO (3.7%)
  3. 10 Bold (3.6%)
  4. 7TWO (2.6%)
  5. ABC Kids/Comedy (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.77 million
  2. Nine/NBN News — 1.44 million
  3. Farmer Wants A Wife (Seven) — 1.40 million
  4. The Block — Launch (Nine) — 1.24 million
  5. 7pm ABC News — 1.12 million
  6. Vera (ABC) — 1.03 million
  7. Shetland (ABC) — 873,000
  8. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 753,000
  9. AFL (Seven) — 634,000
  10. Insiders (ABC, ABC News) — 633,000

Top metro programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.19 million
  2. Nine News — 1.07 million

Losers: Ten — just weak

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.19 million
  2. Nine News — 1.07 million
  3. 7pm ABC News – 755,000
  4. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 559,000
  5. The Sunday Project 7pm (Ten) — 398,000
  6. The Sunday Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 282,000
  7. Ten News First — 239,000
  8. SBS World News — 199,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Insiders (ABC, ABC News ) — 633,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 477,000
  3. Landline (ABC) — 460,000
  4. Weekend Today (Nine) – 321,000
  5. Offsiders (ABC) — 247,000
  6. Sports Sunday (Nine) — 219,000