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Hey Hey v MasterChef

As one of the year's biggest battles ticks closer, will the ratings results show a fair fight?

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cmpOne would never be so foolish as to tip an actual number, but one online betting agency has a book running on whether Hey Hey the Reunion will beat Celebrity MasterChef.

Firstly it’s a rather silly question.

Comparing one 60 minute show to another that stretches for 150 minutes is hardly an equal battle.

The question should be which will win the 7:30 – 8:30 share?

Shows that are longer traditionally result in a lower average, because there are fewer viewers at the end of a marathon than at the beginning. Viewers may find an hour of nostalgia is plenty (Andrew Denton is certainly hoping so, with Hungry Beast to launch at 9pm).

So by tomorrow when the ratings are released, there is every possibility Celebrity MasterChef enjoys a higher average than Hey Hey -and it may not even win the hour. Such is the intricacy of the OzTAM ratings system.

If that’s the case, expect Nine to be plugging the peak figure for Hey Hey, more than its average.

Picking an actual audience figure is impossible. Several journos once asked me to tip the MasterChef finale figure. I merely said “top show for the year.” Who could have thought it soar to 3.7m?

As to which network wins the night… well, Seven’s run may have run out there.

For the real test on how Hey Hey performs look to messageboards, critics and Pizza Shops.

40 Responses

  4. I’ll be watching CMC and then Spicks & Specks.

    Should there be anything interesting shown on Hey Hey I might conisder watching the repeat on Sat. Nine have been doing their usual heavy promotion of the Reunion, which given track record may turn viewers off – I’m sick of it already. Noticed no extended news tonight with the tsunami (unlike last week) no doubt for the behind the scenes and additional promo for Hey Hey in ACA.

  8. Hey Hey will win the night no question.

    The real question though is whether it would have enough legs to sustain an ongoing series – and that’s ultimately where its future lies.

    If it does come back I predict it’ll come back as a 1 hr show – which would ironically be one of the reasons it was given the chop a decade ago as Daryl wanted to retain the 2 hr format.

    Next week will do well too – as for the future, who knows??

  9. LOL these ratings showdowns are why I got interested in ratings in the first place. What number will Hey Hey peak at? Will its long running time drag the average down? Will the Saturday “encore” screening bring the numbers down? And what about MasterChef? Will 7PM’s poor lead-in affect it much? How many people will stick around for NCIS:LA? Will people stick with Spicks and Specks instead on Nine and Ten’s new offerings? How low will City Homicide and WSP drop? Or will the effect be minimal? So many questions…

  11. Hey Hey should have just been on Saturday night not tonight!

    IMO CMC will win it’s slot but with Hey Hey Nine will take the night.

    And Nine will again take out the week, all thanks to GO!

  12. “Hey Hey” worked because it had been going steady for 30 years, and was the only show that offered that kind of entertainment. But since its cancellation, there’s been the Footy Show, Rove, and Good News Week, amongst others, to take up its slack. It’s past its time.

    Having said that, nostalgia can be a powerful force.

    I think I’ll be watching Masterchef and then switch over to Nine afterward.

  14. I paid a visit to Mum (64yo) today and out of the blue she asked if I was watching Hey Hey tonight, and that she was looking forward to it. I have no doubt it will do very well in the older demographics for the nostalgia factor, and going by the question being raised by someone who is more interested in watching Rai International 99% of the time. It’ll be a winner as a once-off or two-off, but would it have staying power???

  15. I don’t agree that Hey Hey will get good ratings tonight. Channel 9 just cant take a trick. Main acts tonight are John Farnham and Jimmy Barnes! We have progressed from the 80s you know!

    My prediction for Hey Hey: 1.1 million.

  16. I doubt hey hey can average 1.5million over what could turnout to be a 3hour program! Id say it’d maybe peak around 1.5million, but its average will prob be round the 1million mark. The NCIS rpt at 9.30 will prob also get a million. WSP will remain at the 1.2-1.3million mark, CH and CM at 1million. Also have to remember the 7HD movie Chicken Run numbers will be added to WSP and CH, so that might give each one a very little boost!

    No.1 for the night will be Masterchef followed by NCIS then 7news. TENs first nightly win in what feels like forever might finally be upon us! The tight race will be between 7 & 9 for second place!

  17. It is Celebrity Masterchef so I don’t think people should expect the same numbers as the original. The celebrities they have chosen are hardly appealing. I loved the original because of the way it welcomed me in and took me on a journey with ordinary Australians who had a love of cooking. There was drama and tension and it truly was ‘must see’ TV, every single episode.
    CM is just for entertainment.

  19. masterchef to win the ave and hour for sure. i don’t think hey hey will do anywhere near as well as some people are suggesting, you can hold me to that. i might be the only one in australia, but i am going to be watching the WSP revisit.

    “One would never be so foolish as to tip an actual number”
    well i am: CMC: 1.5
    HHISave.: 1.15
    HHIShour: 1.25
    WSP: 1.05

  20. y’know, knowing Nine’s luck, I think it’ll be MasterChef with close to 2 million (1.7 – 1.8), World’s Strictest Parents on it’s normal 1.3 – 1.4 mil and Hey Hey on 1.1 mil. The ‘Best of the Best special and the Best of Paul Hogan special both did mediocre numbers so we’ll see if third times a charm for nostalgia. Then NCIS LA will smash the 8.30 hour, so a possible TEN win tonight, if only their 6 – 7.30 lineup actually rated well

  21. Big night of telly tonight. At least Hey Hey will be repeated on Saturday night for those who miss it, forget it or prefer other shows on at the same time. Hope it does really well and hopefully NCIS:LA and Celebrity Masterchef do well too. Seven will be hoping they don’t come third and City Homicide may come in fourth place for that tough 8:30pm timeslot!

  23. I think most people will at least switch over to have a look.
    Hey Hey will then get excellent ratings for the first show but for the second show, i think the viewers will plummet.

    Mind you Channel Nine will probably renew Hey Hey, then axe it after a week.

    I’ll be watching
    Celeb Masterchef, Hey Hey for 1/2 Hour, then over to ABC for Hungry Beast and Tara….

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