Viewers divided over Karl Stefanovic's big comeback on Nine’s lifestyle makeover show This Time Next Year

The ratings are in for Karl Stefanovic's first episode of his new series for This Time Next Year. But Australian viewers have been left divided over how Nine's star performed.  HAVE YOUR SAY

Karl Stefanovic would have been hoping for a triumphant TV return after he was axed from the Today show, but last night showed viewers were divided as he stepped back in to hosting duties. 

He returned to screens last night for the debut of his new show This Time Next Year. His comeback had been a long time coming after Nine shelved the toxic TV presenter after Today's ratings tanked last year and the fallout from his bitter divorce and remarriage hit the show - especially with its female audience - hard.

The feel good show kicked off in a prime time slot on the night of Stefanovic's birthday, but viewers' comments on social media might not have been present he was wishing for. While some sung praise for the network's golden boy, others were less impressed.

Karl Stefanovic made his TV return in This Time Next Year. Picture: Paul A. Broben

"This Time Next Year .... fingers crossed Karl Stefanovic won't be around in 1yrs time," one viewer wrote on Facebook.

"Terribly bloody host," another said. 

And one viewer took to Twitter to proclaim: "'This Time Next Year' this program will be over."

Others, however, commended Stefanovic, praising the show and welcoming him back to TV.

"Thank you Karl, Really enjoyed 'This Time Next Year', last night. Well done. Good to see you back. Many Blessings," one comment on his Facebook page read.

"God it's good to see @karlstefanovic back on tv! #thistimenextyear," a Twitter user posted.

"@karlstefanovic The world just returned to normal. Karl's back. #thistimenextyear Missed you," another wrote. 

Viewers were divided over Karl's return to TV. Picture: Paul A. Broben.

The format of This Time Next Year was the kind of soft landing Nine executives would have been looking for - easing in their mega-million-dollar man, who was an expensive property to have sitting on the bench for the first six months of the ratings year.

On the numbers front, the early data suggested the show performed well. Taking advantage of the better lead-in delivered by Nine's reality juggernaut The Block, early audience data via Fetch viewers suggests Stefanovic's return on This Time Next Year appears to have been a winner with viewers.

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Fetch TV data, which tracks viewers across all networks and programs, suggested This Time Next Year edged out Seven's Australia's Got Talk and pulled away from ABC's Four Corners, to pull the biggest numbers of the night.

Outside of the news programming, The Block won prime-time for Nine with a subdued figure of 842,000 viewers - giving This Time Next Year a modest lead in over Seven's Australia's Got Talent (686,000 people to 679K, across five city metro markets).

Ten had a strong start to the week, with Have You Been Paying Attention (735,000 viewers) and Australian Survivor (711,000) both beating out their more marketed rivals.

Like those who pledge to make radical change on This Time Next Year, Stefanovic now has a chance at his own redemption story.

There’s the challenge of rehabilitating his battered reputation after that nasty, public divorce; the fallout from his lavish remarriage to a younger woman; and last but not least, his shock dumping from the breakfast show he had anchored for almost 14 years.

The ratings of Nine’s revamped Today show are a testament to the impact his departure has had on the program — with Sunrise winning bragging rights for another year, and Today’s audience figures spiralling to record lows.

With Nine News bosses said to be considering sending Stefanovic back to the breakfast slot — perhaps, in a roving senior reporter role — his prime-time reappearance on This Time Next Year could be the litmus test they need to measure whether viewers are ready to welcome him back on the box.

As formats go, it’s not one that is setting the world abuzz, but rather provides for some feel-good viewing in a menu of reality programming that often plays to the worst in human nature rather than the best of it.

For his part, Stefanovic makes for an empathetic host, keeping things solemn when they need to be for those facing heart-wrenching medical mountains to climb; before showing off his larrikin side, throwing down with a wannabe pro-wrestler; or cheekily teasing a hapless singleton, who took on 100 dates over 12 months in her quest for love.

He’s endured more than his share of slings and arrows over his own romantic life — with mate Tom Gleeson and even Kerry O’Brien using Stefanovic’s ugly divorce as fodder at this year’s Logies awards.

When Karl challenged then Foreign Minister Julie Bishop about her pronunciation of "backbencher" on Today. Picture: Supplied

It hit a decidedly off note in the room of Stefanovic’s peers, even those who have made much fun at his domestic distress.

While he drew some of the criticism on himself, after a spectacular own goal gossiping in the back of an Uber with brother Peter, they both paid a high price for that faux pas.

Moving to Sky News as its breakfast host and the front man for the network’s impressive documentary series on Lawyer X, Peter has forged a new path to great success.

His big brother, whose talent as a broadcaster has never been in doubt, is being put to work by Nine on its radio network, 2GB — as both a penance and perhaps potential next step for Karl, as fewer doors open to him.

Karl his brother Peter at his wedding. Picture: Supplied

This Time Next Year is not the serious journalism platform that a one-time US correspondent and network star, who long aspired to a full-time role on 60 Minutes (before he was party to sledging the show in the back of that ride share).

But it’s when he comforts a couple, whose desperate battle to have a child has left them $75,000 poorer and grieving the loss of three failed IVF attempts, that will go some way to winning back fans.

When he wishes the couple continued love and hopes “life gives you a bub,” it’s a redemptive moment, a genuinely touching one, with a happy ending just a sliding door away.

For them and maybe even Karl.

This Time Next Year  airs on Mondays on Nine.