Last Debate Big Win for TVNZ 1

The last televised leaders’ debate of the general election was a winner for TVNZ 1, averaging 150,053 viewers in the critical 25-54 demographic (7.31 rating/39.63 share).

It was Thursday night’s highest-rating programme in this demo.

The post-debate analysis averaged 103,741 viewers (5.06 rating/30.58 share) from 8.00-8.30 and lead-out Jay Blades: Learning to Read at 51, 54,048 (2.65 rating/19.96 share).

TVNZ 2’s Travel Guides drew 84,800 (4.13 rating/18.19 share) and Down for Love, 49,236 (2.40 rating/10.78 share).

The first hour of Three’s The Traitors UK averaged 37,127 viewers and the second hour, 24,593.

TVNZ 1’s Coronation Street (21,082) fought it out with TVNZ 2’s Night Coppers (22,602) for 9.30 honours.

But overall Three edged ahead of TVNZ 2 because of the popularity of its news hour and The Project.

TVNZ 1’s peak-hour demo share was 34.44, Three’s 17.25 and TVNZ 2’s 15.21.

Three’s Paddy Gower Has Issues won the 7.30 Wednesday hour with 63,440 viewers (3.09 rating/19.27 share) vs 58,212 (2.84 rating/17.24 share) for TVNZ 2’s Celebrity Treasure Island.

TVNZ 1’s premiere of Worst House on the Street finished third, with 54,536 viewers (2.66 rating/18.24 share).

But the network’s Location Location Location Australia won the 8.30 slot (46,684 viewers, 2.27 rating/18.71 share).

Three’s Married at First Sight UK was second (43,266, 2.11/16.79) and TVNZ 2’s Taskmaster UK third (33,109, 1.61 rating/12.93 share).

Three’s Newshub Late also won at 9.30 while Coronation Street pipped Taskmaster Australia.

The gap between the networks’ news hours and their lead-outs were narrower than usual, helping Three to achieve a 25-54 share of 21.78 for the night vs 26.68 for TVNZ 1 (TVNZ 2’s was 14.69).

The peak-demo shares were much wider on Tuesday (TVNZ 1, 32.27; Three, 20.82; TVNZ 2, 11.83) but closer on Monday (TVNZ 1, 27.35; Three, 20.11; TVNZ 2, 14.00).