Josh Frydenberg
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas)

Sure, The Hundred With Andy Lee may have attracted 710,000 viewers last night, but hot on its heels was The Budgie With Josh Fry, which drew 630,000 nationally for the ABC — up 15,000 from the 2021 audience.

Josh crunching the federal budget numbers did beat, wait for it, Seven’s SAS Australia, which averaged 535,000 over a longer time — two hours and 20 minutes for its final four challenge. In comparison, Josh was in and out in a smidge over half an hour.

The big numbers last night, other than the ones dropped by Josh? Do you even have to ask: Married at First Sight with 1.375 million for Nine.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (34.7%)
  2. Seven (24.1%)
  3. Ten (16.3%)
  4. ABC (16.0%)
  5. SBS (8.9%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (27.8%)
  2. Seven (16.3%)
  3. Ten (10.4%)
  4. ABC (10.0%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.3%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (4.1%)
  2. ABC News (3.5%)
  3. 10 Peach (3.0%)
  4. 7Mate (2.6%)
  5. 10 Bold (2.3%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.493 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.440 million
  3. Married At First Sight (Nine) — 1.375 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.165 million
  5. Nine News — 1.162 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.004 million
  7. 7pm ABC News — 962,000
  8. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (ABC) — 896,000
  9. Home and Away (Seven) — 796,000
  10. The Hundred With Andy Lee (Nine) — 710,000

Top metro programs: 
1. MAFS (Nine) — 1.093 million

Regional top 5: Seven News, 539,000; Seven News 6.30, 532,000; MAFS, 367,000; 7pm ABC News, 322,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 321,000.

Losers: SAS Australia — beaten by Josh’s budget: oh, the ignominy

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 954,000
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 908,000
  3. Nine News — 851,000
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 847,000
  5. ACA (Nine) — 717,000
  6. 7pm ABC News — 639,000
  7. Treasurer’s Budget Speech (ABC) — 420,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 403,000
  9. Budget Chat (ABC) — 292,000
  10. Ten News — 286,000

Morning (national) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 449,000/268,000
  2. Today (Nine) — 309,000/208,000
  3. ABC News Mornings — 306,000
  4. ABC News Breakfast (ABC) — 289,000/193,000
  5. The Morning Show (Seven) — 239,000
  6. Today Extra (Nine) — 170,000
  7. Studio 10 (Ten) — 42,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

  1. Cricket: First ODI, Pakistan vs Australia (Fox Cricket) — 74,000
  2. Budget Speech (Sky News) — 63,000
  3. Credlin: Budget (Sky News) — 53,000
  4. Budget Live (Sky News) — 48,000
  5. Credlin (Sky News) — 47,000