RTÉ weekend ratings beat the January blues with The Late Late Show, Dancing with the Stars, The Tommy Tiernan Show and Room to Improve – Dermot’s Home

RTÉ’s jam-packed schedule kicked the January blues into touch with the first weekend schedule of 2020 proving to be a big hit.

Friday night’s Late Late Show, which featured a special segment honouring actress Brenda Fricker, a tribute to the late Larry Gogan, as well as interviews with chef Richard Corrigan, the leaders of Operation Transformation and a performance from Kodaline, attracted an audience of 517,000 –  a 47.1% share.

The Tommy Tiernan Show returned to Saturday nights on RTÉ One for its fourth season. 404,000 viewers (35.4% share) watched as Tommy’s guests included Mrs Brown’s Boys creator and star Brendan O’Carroll, followed by mortician Elizabeth Oakes who wanted to open the conversation around death. Tommy then met Donnah Vuma who spoke candidly about life in Direct Provision.  Over the next eight weeks, Tommy will meet a variety of guests, unaware of who he will be faced with until they join him on stage.

The ladies took to the floor on Dancing with the Starsthis week foranother glittertastic star-studded show, which was watched by a huge audience of 490,000 (37.3% share). The full line-up of competing dancers for 2020 includes Mary Kennedy, Aidan Fogarty, Brian Dowling, Michael Carruth, Yewande Biala, Fr. Ray Kelly, Grainne Gallanagh, Sinead O’Carroll, Lottie Ryan, Ryan Andrews and Glenda Gilson. Airing for 12 weeks, the 11 celebrities will partner with their professional dancers as they take on a brand new challenge and change their daily roles for dance routines. Each will be hoping to claim the much-coveted glitter ball trophy at the end of the series.

451,000 (32% share) watched Ireland’s number one soap last night. Fair City sawHayley tell Anto she won’t be trading fathers. She was shocked to learn Ger doesn’t know who her father is. Damien was downcast when Mairead cancelled plans but Bosco’s talk of making a film noir lifted his spirits while Orla rejected contact with Olivia.

Sunday night saw the concluding episode of Room to Improve – Dermot’s HomeonRTÉ One at 9.30pm achieve a massive audience of 641,000 viewers (46.7% share) who were enthralled as Dermot undertook the most important project of his career – renovating his new family home. For the first time, Dermot was both client and architect – a dual role in which he was far from comfortable. The consolidated figure for episode one last week scored an impressive 777,000 (51% share).

Coming up this week on RTÉ – As Dr. Evaand Wyatt walk through the gates of an abandoned, run down Portuguese hotel they attempt to create their dream. After a high-profile marriage split, Eva Orsmond has high hopes for rebuilding their relationship and creating a new life, to refocus on what’s really important. And as they lurch from budget crisis to building crises, all complicated by their lack of Portuguese, we learn if all of this is a recipe for disaster or the best thing that’s ever happened to them. The new three part documentary series starts this Sunday 19 January at 9:35pm on RTÉ One. Operation Transformation presented by Kathryn Thomas is in its 13th season, encouraging the Irish public to get up, get active and get healthy. Over the course of the 8-week show on Wednesday nights on RTÉ One, they’ll be giving the nation the tools they need to get moving, lose weight and feel great.

Passions ignite once more on Thursday nights on RTÉ2 at 9.30pm as young hearts, lively suitors and slow burners come together for a smouldering new series of First Dates. With everyone in the restaurant on a blind date, nerves are always running high. On hand, as always, with encouraging words are Maitre’D Mateo and master-mixologist Ethan – ably assisted by Alice, Pete and Libby.

All figures quotes unless otherwise stated are live +Vosdal