Sharri Markson’s Wuhan documentary the most-watched Sky News program of 2021
Donald Trump’s world-exclusive sit-down interview with Sharri Markson was Sky News’ highest rating program for 2021.
A Sky News documentary tracing the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic drew 260,000 viewers on Monday to become the highest-rated subscription television program that day and the broadcaster’s most popular this year.
The program, What Really Happened in Wuhan, was based on a forthcoming book written by The Australian’s investigations writer, Sharri Markson, and included revelations about the laboratory where intelligence officials believe the coronavirus may have originated.
OzTAM figures show the program drew 160,000 viewers on Sky News. The broadcaster said the program had an extra 100,000 viewers on free-to-air regional channels.
Markson, who has reported on the pandemic since 2020, said she was overwhelmed by the huge interest in the TV special.
“It’s wonderful our documentary has resonated with viewers and many people want to know exactly what happened in Wuhan,” she said.
“And 4.7 million people have died and there has been no credible investigation internationally to why this pandemic started, and that’s why I think it’s such an important topic to investigate.
“I have dedicated virtually this entire year to investigating what happened in Wuhan, with the book and this documentary, and this shows people really do appreciate quality investigative journalism.”
The program included an exclusive interview with former US president Donald Trump, who claimed that bodies were dumped outside the laboratory, the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
“Well, I started hearing stories, that you have also, that there were lots of body bags outside of the lab,” Mr Trump told Markson. “I heard that a long time ago. And if they did in fact have body bags, that was one little indication, wasn’t it?”
Markson also spoke to former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, former US director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe, Chinese dissidents and scientists.
Mr Ratcliffe told Markson that he believed some of the first Chinese scientists who fell sick with Covid-19 were now missing.
Mr Pompeo revealed intelligence that the first incident relating to Covid-19 may have occurred as early as July or August 2019 – five months before China admitted an outbreak to the World Health Organisation.
Watch Sharri Markson’s world exclusive documentary on Foxtel on Demand. Markson’s book, What Really Happened In Wuhan, is available for pre-order from Booktopia
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