ABC’s Q+A records worst ratings since it began airing in 2008

The ABC’s political chatfest program has tanked in the ratings, a week after host Stan Grant booted a pro-Russian audience member while live on air.

The ABC’s prime time political chatfest show Q+A recorded its worst-ever ratings on Thursday night, just one week after a controversial decision to evict a pro-Russian apologist from the audience.

The program, hosted by Stan Grant, discussed gender, equality and justice and attracted just 175,000 viewers across the five major capital cities, figures from ratings company ozTAM showed.

The show, which airs at 8.30pm AEDT, had an all-female panel in its Sydney studio including National Farmers’ Federation president Fiona Simson, Podcaster Lillian Flex Mami Ahenkan, businesswoman Wendy McCarthy, refugee and gender policy advisor Najeeba Wazefadost and Quillette and columnist at The Australian Claire Lehmann.

Despite the lowest ever ratings for the show which first aired in 2008, Grant opened the one-hour program by referencing the large audience attending the live airing of the program.

“This is the biggest crowd we’ve had in a long time because of Covid and all the lockdowns and all of the disruptions so it’s fantastic to have you all in the room,” he said.

Last week the program drew endless criticism after Grant asked pro Russian activist Sasha Gillies-Lekakis to leave midway through the program after asking a question about the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Grant later told The Australian it was his decision to evict Gillies-Lekakis – and the call was not made by executive producer Erin Vincent.

The University of Melbourne student made pro-Russian claims on air that have largely been discredited but he later revealed on social media his question was vetted by Q+A staff shortly before the program began.

About 20 minutes after Gillies-Lekakis asked his question on live television Grant said to him, “Something has been bothering me … people here have been talking about family who are suffering and people who are dying. Can I just say – I’m just not comfortable with you being here. Could you please leave?,” Grant said.

Gillies-Lekakis tried to argue his case but Grant was having none of it.

The shock move to force him to leave the audience caused uproar on social media with some viewers arguing Grant was shutting down freedom of speech while others praised his decisive actions.

The last time Q+A recorded viewers numbers below 200,000 viewers across the five major capital cities was last year when the Tokyo Olympics was airing, notching up just 188,000 on their August 5 episode.

Q+A has had a tumultuous 12 months after shifting the program from its Monday timeslot of 9.30pm to Thursday at 8.30pm and also saw the departure of the program’s host Hamish MacDonald midway through 2021.

From there the program shifted to a rotating host model between Insiders host David Speers, ABC Melbourne mornings radio host Virginia Trioli and Grant.

The Thursday night episode was the 30th most watched program for the night and also came up in the same timeslot as the NRL season opener which aired on Channel 9 saw the Penrith Panthers defeat the Manly Sea Eagles 28-6.

It drew 426,000 viewers across the five major capital cities.

The ABC was contacted for comment and did not respond.