Crikey

What about the extra Temptation? So what will the Nine Network do with the 40 eps of Temptation already made before the decision to shut down production was made last Friday by network chief, David Gyngell? Producers, Fremantlemedia, have disbanded the production group, meaning Lavinia Nixon and host Ed Phillips, are no longer wanted. Ms Nixon is of course being conscripted to try and save Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune next week in a “celebrity” circus. Forty eps is eight weeks’ production. It could return later in the year to finish off ratings, or it could sit on the shelf. It would surely get better figures than Wheel’s mediocre 561,000 last night… — Glenn Dyer

Why Gordon F***king Ramsay is a star. Because three nights of Gordon Ramsay a week is not enough, the Nine Network’s Today Show interviewed the celeb chef this morning. As co-host and Captain Obvious Karl Stefanovic notes at the end, “You’re not a boring man”. During the chat, a jumpy Gordo flirts with Lisa Wilkinson, gets in a quip about his “6am rise”, shows off his abs and denies having botox. All while Karl looks on embarrassed. Worth watching through to the end for Georgie’s eye-rolling reaction. Click here.

Satin Watch. The women of Sky News have stopped wearing satin for the moment — they seem to have entered a chiffon phase — but Kerri-Anne will not let it die. She’s a trooper.

The hottest ticket in town.

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: Seven News won  with 1.477 million viewers and with Today Tonight second with 1.389 million. Getaway was third for another solid effort and 1.284 million people and the 7pm ABC news finished with a high 1.238 million. Home and Away was next with 1.227 million and Nine’s repeat of Two and a Half Men at 7pm was 6th with 1.194 million. Nine News was 7th with 1.135 million. My Name Is Earl averaged 1.10 million at 8pm for Seven, How I Met Your Mother half an hour earlier, 1.104 million. Hell’s Kitchen was 10th for Nine with 1.099 million viewers and Ten’s Law and Order averaged 1.094 million, just ahead of Bones with 1.082 million for Seven in the same 8.30pm slot. A Current Affair was down at 13th, with 1.063 million and the new ep of Futurama averaged 1.020 million for Ten at 7.30pm. The 7.30 Report averaged 1.003 million for the second night running in 15th spot. Ten’s Medium averaged 972,000 at 9.30pm and Seven’s Amazing Race averaged 894,000. The Footy Shows 895,000.

The Losers: Big Brother again for Ten: 802,000 from 7pm. A very distant 4th. Million Dollar Wheel of Fortune, 561,000. Apart from that no other real disasters last night. Oh, the repeat of Inspector Rex, or rather his continued exhumation by SBS from 7.35 pm: 397,000 people. Sad.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Melbourne where Nine just won. Today Tonight won nationally and everywhere as ACA was weak. The 7pm ABC News beat Nine into second in Sydney and Seven into second in Melbourne in the rankings. Ten News averaged 890,000, the late News/Sports tonight, 391,000. Nine’s Nightline averaged 362,000. Lateline averaged 324,000, Lateline Business, 165,000. 6.30pm SBS News, 174,000, the late edition at 9.30pm, 184,000. 7am Sunrise up to 347,000, 7am Today, at 278,000: the gap widened slightly.

The Stats: Nine won 6pm to midnight All People with 27.7% (28.2 a week ago) from Seven with 27.0% (27.4%), Ten with 21.5% (21.2%), the ABC with 18.8% (17.8%) and SBS with 5.1% (5.3%). Nine won Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Seven won Brisbane and Perth. Seven won the 6.30pm to 10.30pm battle. Seven leads the week with 28.3% (27.4%). In regional areas, a win for Nine through WIN/NBN with 31.2%, from Prime/7Qld with 26.7%, Southern Cross (Ten) with 19.7%, the ABC with 16.7% and SBS with 5.7%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: A standard Thursday night except for the continuing slide by Nine’s Footy Shows. My Name Is Earl dropped 200,000 or so viewers on last week but it and its lead-in on Seven at 7.30pm, How I Met Your Mother, still dominated the top of the important demos. Nine might have won All People, but Seven says it won 16 to 39, 18 to 49 and all viewers under 55. This weekend there’s football, soccer, no golf, no tennis (Monday night thank you). Its AFL and Thugby League. Better Homes tonight. Who cares tomorrow night and there’s yet another program on Schapelle Corby called The Hidden Truth on Nine at 8.30pm on Sunday. There is supposed to be “tension” between the Corbys and the doco maker, Janine Hosking. Boring. They fry my brain every time I see them mentioned or televised.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports