Reeling in the Ratings: Return of RTÉ favourite a huge hit for viewers

Winning weekend for entertainment, drama, sport & documentary on RTÉ 

The first episode in a much-anticipated new series of Reeling in the Years was watched last night on RTÉ One by an avg. audience of 515,000 viewers, with an incredible 49.2% share among 15 to 34 year olds.

The hit RTÉ series made its welcome return, to cast an eye back on the stories and songs of the previous decade. The 2010 episode, in which the notable headlines of the year were the big freeze in Ireland, an Icelandic ‘ash cloud’ that brought travel chaos across Europe, and the EU-IMF bailout, with a soundtrack including Rihanna, Rubberbandits, and Adele, was the subject of huge conversation on social media as it aired on RTÉ One. It’s available to watch back now on RTÉ Player for viewers in Ireland.

In a winning weekend of television entertainment on RTÉ One, Tommy Tiernan’s penultimate show, in which he talked to guests Peter McVerry, HIV activist Robbie Lawlor, and Enniscrone funeral director David McGowan and his daughter, harpist Bríd McGowan, was watched by an avg. audience of 504,000, while Friday night’s uplifting Late Late Show, with guests Dervla Kirwan, Padraig Harrington, and a host of Irish country musicians had 461,000 viewers. Next weekend marks President Michael D Higgins’ 80th birthday and Ryan will be conducting a very special interview with him from Aras an Uachtaráin for next Friday night’s Late Late Show. Kathy Bates, the acclaimed Academy award-winning actor will also be on the show and further guests will be announced later this week. Acclaimed drama Smother culminated in an exciting finale last night, as it was watched by 400,000. The full series is now available to watch on the RTÉ Player.

There was something for everyone in the audience this weekend across RTÉ One, as the first episode of stunning new Burren: Heart of Stone series was watched by 309,000, and Brendan Courtney’s returning Keys to my Life, was watched by 232,000, while new Saturday evening family quiz show Home Advantage, presented by Jennifer Zamparelli, saw an average of 225,00 viewers tune in.

It was a winning weekend for sport fans too, as RTÉ2 viewers celebrated Ireland’s victory over Wales in the Women’s 6 Nations, while Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy won gold for Ireland at the European Rowing Championship.

And as the nation moved to the easing of some Covid-19 restrictions for the first time this year, Irish viewers continue to seek trusted news with 518,000 viewers watching Sunday night’s RTÉ Nine O’Clock News.