RTÉ Reveals Most Watched Show of The 21st Century

RTÉ has revealed which shows viewers tuned into in 2014 and the 21st century so far. (We can’t say the results are all that surprising.)

It’s only once a year but the study found that The Late Late Toy Show claimed the top spot for last year with an average audience of almost 1.6 million. It was also named as the most-watched show of this century, claiming six of the top ten positions.

The second most-watched programme of 2014 was the season finale of Love/Hate. Stuart Carolan’s hit series also featured heavily in the most-watched programmes of this century with three appearances in the top 20.

The top five shows of 2014 was finished off by the RBS Six Nations match between France and Ireland, episode four of drama Amber and the final of the FIFA World Cup.

Two other finals, the Football Final and the Hurling Final, took seventh and eight places with the RTÉ News claiming number 10.

Brendan O’Carroll’s Mrs Brown’s Boys appeared twice in the top 10, sixth and ninth, a reflection of the success of the show.

Other shows that appeared in the top 20 shows of last year include Fair City, The Voice of Ireland and the Rose of Tralee while the most-watched of the century list also had Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and 2011’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Speaking about the findings, Managing Director of RTÉ Television Glen Killane said: “We are delighted to see that Irish viewers continue to choose RTÉ Television despite having 100s of channels to choose from.”

Here are the top 20 most-watched shows of 2014 and this century (so far)…

2014:

1. The Late Late Toy Show, November 28th
2. Episode 6 of Love/Hate, November 9th
3. RBS Six Nations (France v Ireland), March 15th
4. Amber, January 22nd
5. 2014 FIFA World Cup Final, July 13th
6. Mrs Brown’s Boys: Mammy’s Gamble, December 31st
7. The Sunday Game live (Football Final), September 21st
8. The Sunday Game Live (Hurling Final), September 7th
9. Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special: Mammy’s Tickle, December 25th
10. RTÉ News: Nine O’Clock, March 2nd
11. RBS Six Nations (England v Ireland), February 22nd
12. The Voice of Ireland, February 2nd
13. The Late Late Show, February 28th
14. 2014 FIFA World Cup (Semi-Final), July 9th
15. Rose of Tralee, August 19th
16. The Saturday Game Live (Football Semi-Final: Mayo v Kerry replay), August 30th
17. Fair City, February 4th
18. Prime Time (Inside Bungalow 3), December 9th
19. The Sunday Game Live (Football Semi-Final: Dublin v Donegal), August 31st
20. RTÉ News: Six One, January 6th

This century:

1. The Late Late Toy Show, November 2014
2. The Late Late Toy Show, November 2013
3. The Late Late Toy Show, December 2011
4. The Late Late Toy Show, November 2010
5. The Late Late Toy Show, November 2012
6. The Late Late Toy Show, November 2009
7. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, October 2000
8. Euro 2012 Republic of Ireland v Croatia, June 2012
9. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, October 2000
10. RTÉ News Special, December 2011
11. The Late Late Toy Show, November 2008
12. Eurovision Song Contest, May 2011
13. The Late Late Toy Show, November 2007
14. Love/Hate, November 2014
15. Euro 2012 Spain v Republic of Ireland, June 2012
16. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, October 2000
17. The Late Late Show, December 2006
18. The Late Late Show, December 2005
19. Love/Hate, November 2013
20. Love/Hate, October 2014