The viewing figures have been tallied and its been announced just which Irish shows the most people watched in the year that was 2015, and it seems despite the availability of over 800 channels in Ireland, RTE still came out on top.
The national broadcaster can claim 15 of the Top 20 programmes of the year, with the number one spot once again going to The Late Late Toy Show. However it was TV3 that takes the following three spots for the Ireland games in the Rugby World Cup, with two other places in the top 20 to lay claim to with their coverage of the event.
Also featuring on the list is The Late Late Show Country music special, Mrs Brown's Boys, the RTE News following Health Minister Leo Varadkar's interview with Miriam O'Callaghan in which he spoke for the first time about being gay, and last but not least, Room to Improve. G'wan the Dermo.
Speaking about the figures, Glen Killane, Managing Director, RTÉ Television said:
“2015 was a particularly competitive year for Irish television with a brand new Irish television channel coming into the market. Despite this, RTÉ delivered 15 of the Top 20 programmes of the year. Across RTÉ One and RTÉ2 we delivered a broad range of programming which brought the nation together from another unbeatable Late Late Toy Show, to the All Ireland Football and Hurling Finals, from the best in new Irish drama in Charlie, to comedy from the nations favourite Mrs Brown’s Boys, along with unrivalled news coverage and family entertainment from The Voice of Ireland”.
“It’s heartening to see this research from TAM Ireland which shows just how much Irish people continue to engage with television. Last night alone on RTÉ One, over half a million viewers tuned in for each of our programmes from 6pm to 10:30pm which demonstrates the ongoing demand for original Irish television. 2016 is shaping up to be major year for Irish viewers with RTÉ offering comprehensive election coverage, a major season of programmes commemorating and celebrating 1916, along with the best in sports coverage with the Six Nations, EURO 2016, the GAA Championships and the Olympics and Paralympics from Rio all to look forward to.”
Take a look at the viewing figures below;
· No. 14, RTÉ News: Nine O’Clock News, 18 Jan, reaction coverage following Health Minister Leo Varadkar's interview with Miriam O'Callaghan in which he spoke for the first time about being gay.
· No.15, The Late Late Show, refers to The Late Late Country Music Special on the 23 October.
· No. 17, The Voice of Ireland, on 22 February was the most watched episode in the series. This was the first of show’s Battle stages.
· No. 20 Room to Improve, in which Dermot Bannon renovated a rural bungalow in Baltinglass.