Bachelorette 2020: TV ratings hit record low as Channel 10 ordeal continues
An ex-Channel 10 executive producer has blamed “bad casting” and “viewer fatigue” after ratings for The Bachelorette dropped to an all-time low.
Confidential
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Channel 10 might be regretting its casting choice for The Bachelorette this year after ratings recently dropped to an all-time low.
Sisters Elly and Becky Miles’ much-hyped season has fallen flat after Wednesday’s episode had 487,000 metro viewers, with ratings now on par with struggling current affairs show The Project (483,000 at 7pm).
By comparison, rival Channel 9’s The Block had 762,000 viewers while ABC’s Hardquiz at 8pm had 688,000 and a repeat of Channel 7’s Highway Patrol saw 397,000 viewers tune in.
Last week, ratings for The Bachelorette plummeted to 464,000 — marking a record low for the show since Ten launched the format in 2015.
A former Channel 10 executive producer told Confidential that “bad casting” and “viewer fatigue” are to blame for the disappointing ratings.
“There’s no doubt the ratings for The Bachelorette would be a major concern for 10. To me it’s a mixture of viewer fatigue with three Bachelor franchises back-to-back and just bad casting,” said former Studio 10 executive producer Rob McKnight.
“While the idea of two sisters is an interesting take, these two young ladies just don’t have the appeal of others we’ve seen in the role,” he said.
“The bad performance of The Bachelorette and dismal ratings for Junior MasterChef have seen the network slip to number 4 behind the ABC.
“We all thought 10 had picked up its game and was back on track but this shows the network is really only just keeping its head above water.
“This would be very worrying for local execs who have to report back to their bosses in the US.
“They’ve had some early success at the right time, but now the cracks are beginning to show.”
Confidential has contacted Channel 10 for comment.
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Sydney nurse Elly, 25, was first introduced to viewers last year on Matt Agnew’s season of The Bachelor.
The Bachelorette made history this year by casting its first ever double act, however the gamble is yet to pay off for Channel 10.
Six of the show’s lowest rated episodes since Sam Frost was the first Bachelorette in 2015 are from this season.
Year on year, the series is currently tracking at 27 per cent down on viewership in metro markets.
Season three with Sophie Monk remains the most-watched series to date with 951,000 metro viewers tuning in to the 2017 premiere.
Low ratings have been a recurring theme across the Bachelor franchise this year.
Locky Gilbert’s season had 681,000 metro viewers tune into the August premiere — the second-lowest opening ahead of Tim Robards’ season (669,000).
Bachelor in Paradise was recently axed after it premiered in July to its lowest ratings, with 507,000 metro viewers tuning in, compared with 750,000 for its first season.
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