Channel 9’s Cleo Smith interview fails to win Sunday night’s ratings race

Sunday’s TV ratings are in, with Nine’s hyped Cleo Smith special expected to dominate after the network reportedly splashed millions for the exclusive.

After scoring a world-first interview with the family of abducted four-year-old Cleo Smith, Channel 9 has landed at a surprising spot on the ratings leaderboard.

It comes amid widespread reports the network splashed $2 million to secure the exclusive.

The 60 Minutes special — which aired never-before-seen footage of Cleo hours after she was rescued by police in a moment that stopped the nation last year — won its 8.40pm timeslot, but ended the night as only the fourth most viewed show of Sunday evening.

After weeks of promoting the sit-down with Cleo’s mother, Ellie Smith, 24, and stepfather, Jake Gliddon, the episode pulled in 750,000 viewers across the five metro cities.

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The special aired footage of Cleo at home with her family after she was found safe. Picture: 60 Minutes

Overall, looking at the metro areas, Seven News scored top spot with 1.095 million viewers, followed by Nine News with 827,000, then Married At First Sight — which aired right before the special — with 825,000.

According to Channel 9, the Cleo Smith special led by Tara Brown — who interviewed the couple remotely due to WA’s strict border restrictions — was the highest-rating 60 Minutes episode in a year.

The results of the program’s first show of 2022 was also up year-on-year across all key demographics, the network said.

For comparison, 60 Minutes’ tell-all with scammer Belle Gibson in 2015 raked in 1.073 million metro numbers. Gibson was reportedly paid $75,000 for the chat.

The following year, PR maven Roxy Jacenko bared all to a metro audience of 928,000.

Meanwhile, ‘Cocaine’ Cassie Sainsbury pulled 956,000 in 2017 going head-to-head with Sunday Night, and Kyle Sandilands’ outrageous health prank did 698,000 in 2020.

During Sunday night’s emotional exclusive, Cleo’s parents told of their pain and trauma following their daughter’s abduction, as well as the toll of the social media backlash they experienced as the police investigation went on for weeks.

Tara Brown interviewed Cleo’s mother, Ellie Smith, and stepfather, Jake Gliddon. Picture: 60 Minutes

Smith was abducted on October 16 last year from a campsite in the Blowholes campsite in Macleod, around 80 km north of Carnarvon in WA, but was found alive and well nearly three weeks later on November 3.

Police eventually found the little girl in a locked house minutes from her own home.

Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, has been charged with two offences including forcibly taking a child under the age of 16.

Commenting on the results of Sunday’s exclusive with Cleo’s parents, a network spokeswoman said: “We are very pleased with the result and the content of the 60 Minutes interview which was compelling as Tara Brown spoke to the parents of Cleo Smith for the first time.

“The show won its timeslot and performed in the key demographics and on 9Now – a record streaming audience for the program meaning last night’s episode as a total number was an increase on the equivalent episode last year, and this is what we look to, we are all extremely pleased.”

After the Australian Open and with reality TV hit MAFS now in full swing, the network is currently leading the network commercial share for the year.

Hamish Turner, Director 9Now & Programming, said in a statement: “The Australian Open spearheaded our Summer slate delivering some truly memorable moments and the perfect platform to drive momentum into the ratings year. ”