Night one of the dress rehearsal for the start of ratings proper last night and the Australian Open Men’s final tennis on Seven accounted for the Jungle capers of Shane Warne et al I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here on Ten and the T20 losers on Nine. But tonight it’s far more serious with Seven returning Home and Away and My Kitchen Rules, with Nine bringing back faded stars Australia’s Got Talent and Farmer Wants A Wife. All that against Celebrity and The X Files on Ten and the ABC’s strong news and current affairs line up.

The Open final itself averaged 2.163 million people for Seven (and 1.619 million in the metros), with the presentation to Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray topping the night with 2.210 million viewers across the country (and 1.682 million viewers in metro markets). Celebrity’s opening night averaged 1.892 million (and 1.324 million in the metros) and the welcome to the Jungle averaged 1.544 million nationally (and 1.081 million in the metros. The T20 game on Nine averaged 1.485 million viewers (1.026 million in the metros). The T20 coverage went from 7pm to 10.30pm (or thereabouts), with a thrilling last ball win by India to hold viewers. Celebrity, Modern Family (1.228 million nationally) and The X Files (1.355 million nationally) ran until 9.30pm. Ten repeated a movie, The Railway Man at 9.30pm and its audience plunged to just 123,000 nationally, which is why Nine finished second behind Seven in Total People. Seven’s Tennis coverage won the major demos as well. Ten’s Celeb won the under 55s (less grey viewers).

In regional markets the top five programs were the opening night of Celebrity on Ten with 568,000 (a surprise), next was the Men’s tennis final with 544,000 viewers, the presentation at the tennis was third with 527,000, then Seven News with 487,000 and fifth was the Jungle segment of Celebrity with 464,000.

Warne’s appearance on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here confirmed what most of us have thought about him: he suffers badly from LDS (Limelight Deprivation Syndrome), as does mate Michael Clarke with his talk of a comeback at the weekend. Now I really don’t really care if Warne gets misplaced in Darkest Africa for the duration of this pap. Call it collateral damage.

Seven, Nine and Ten would be happy with last night. But it was the last night of summer, tonight the rehearsal for the ratings battle proper hits full bore (deliberate use of that word).

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (33.7%)
  2. Nine (28.1%)
  3. Ten (20.2%)
  4. ABC (13.3%)
  5. SBS (4.7%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (29.7%)
  2. Nine (20.5%)
  3. Ten (16.9%)
  4.  Ten (10.4%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.4%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (3.2%)
  2. 9Life (2.8%)
  3. 7TWO (2.3%)
  4. ONE (1.9%)
  5. ABC 2 (1.80%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Australian Open Men’s Final Presentation (Seven) — 2.210 million
  2. Australian Open Men’s Final (Seven) — 2.163 million
  3. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here: Opening Night (Ten) — 1.892 million
  4. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here: Welcome To The Jungle (Ten) — 1.544 million
  5. Seven News — 1.524 million
  6. Twenty 20 Australia v India, Game 3 (Nine) — 1.485 million
  7. Nine News — 1.400 million
  8. The X Files (Ten) — 1.355 million
  9. Modern Family (Ten) — 1.228 million
  10. ABC News — 1.095 million

Top metro programs:

  1. Australian Open Men’s Final Presentation (Seven) — 1.682 million
  2. Australian Open Men’s Final (Seven) — 1.619 million
  3. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here: Opening Night (Ten) — 1.324 million
  4. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here: Welcome To The Jungle (Ten) — 1.081 million
  5. Nine News — 1.121 million
  6. Seven News — 1.037 million
  7. Twenty/20 Australia v India, Game 3 (Nine) — 1.026 million

Losers: Something for everyone last night:  sport, mindless drivel and good drama (Vera, on the ABC, with a solid 909,000 national viewers and 11th spot, up against the tennis, the celebs and the tip and run cricket).Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.121 million
  2. Seven News — 1.037 million
  3. ABC News – 742,000
  4. Ten Eyewitness News — 421,000
  5. SBS World News  — 155,000

Morning TV:

  1. Weekend Today (Nine) – 312,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 296,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (2.3%)
  2. TVHITS  (2.2%)
  3. Fox Sports 4 (1.8%)
  4. LifeStyle  (1.7%)
  5. A&E, Foxtel Movies Action (1.6%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. War and Peace (BBC First) – 61,000
  2. The Day Henry Met (Nick Jr) — 60,000
  3. Pawn Stars (A&E) — 59,000
  4. Peppa Pig (Nick Jr) – 59,000
  5. Blaze and The Monster Machines (Nick Jr) – 56,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2016. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM. (All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people.) and network reports