Oprah’s interview of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry drew 17.137 million total viewers to CBS on Sunday, according to preliminary Nielsen numbers, with a TV audience fit for a prince (and a duchess).
That robust (preliminary) number is larger than Caitlyn Jenner’s sitdown with Diane Sawyer in 2015, which (preliminarily) averaged 16.9 million total viewers. In the key demo, however, the highly anticipated Jenner interview doubled this one, with a 5.2 rating vs. a 2.6.
That Jenner interview eventually had a final Live + Same Day audience of 17.146 million total viewers.
Sunday’s interview did not disappoint in terms of its payoff for fans of royal family gossip — or for the host network. The Oprah-Meghan-Harry interview aired from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Central. It was not live coast to coast.
The primetime interview had enough “tea” to satisfy Buckingham Palace. During the two-hour conversation, Markle told Oprah Winfrey that the royal family had concerns about (then-unborn) baby Archie’s skin color (Markle is half Black). The former “Suits” star also told Winfrey that she contemplated suicide amid unrelenting tabloid harassment.
Read more of the madness here.
CBS was first in ratings with a 1.7 rating/10 share in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic and in total viewers with an average of 12.4 million, according to preliminary numbers. At 7 p.m., “60 Minutes” posted a 0.8/6 and 9.8 million total viewers. Following the Oprah interview, “The Equalizer” repeat at 10 landed a 0.7/5 and 5.7 million total viewers.
It was the Queen Latifah drama’s second best lead-in of the season. “The Equalizer” series premiere immediately followed Super Bowl LV.
ABC was second in ratings with a 0.6/4 and in viewers with 4.7 million. “America’s Funniest Home Videos” at 7 had a 0.6/4 and 5.3 million viewers. From 8 to 10, “American Idol” averaged a 0.8/5 and 5.2 million viewers. At 10, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” got a 0.4/3 and 2.9 million viewers.
Fox was third in ratings with a 0.4/2 and fourth in viewers with 1.1 million. “Cherries Wild” at 7 managed a 0.3/2 and 1.3 million viewers. “Bless the Harts” at 7:30 had a 0.3/2 and 833,000 viewers. At 8, “The Simpsons” got a 0.4/3 and 1.3 million viewers. “The Great North” at 8:30 received a 0.4/2 and 1 million viewers. “Bob’s Burgers” at 9 picked things back up with a 0.5/3 and 1.2 million viewers. At 9:30, “Family Guy” finished off Fox’s primetime with a 0.4/2 and 1.1 million viewers.
NBC and Telemundo tied for fourth in ratings, both with a 0.3/2. NBC was third in total viewers with 1.8 million, Telemundo was fifth with 983,000.
For NBC, “The Voice” from 7 to 9 averaged a 0.3/2 and 2 million viewers. At 9, “Ellen’s Game of Games” got a 0.3/2 and 1.4 million viewers. The “Good Girls” Season 4 premiere had a 0.4/3 and 1.6 million viewers.
Univision was sixth in ratings with a 0.2/1 and in viewers with 635,000.
The CW was seventh in ratings with a 0.1/0 and in viewers with 370,000, airing the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards.
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