Nine has a strong programming slate for the final quarter of 2019 which will see it carry its ratings momentum right through to summer, says Program Director Hamish Turner.

With The Block still pulling strong audience numbers and Love Island Australia and Hamish and Andy’s Perfect Holiday both set to launch, Nine is continuing to build on its strong third quarter performance.

“We have had a great start to the third quarter and The Block has performed really strongly,” says Turner. “60 Minutes continues to do a good job for us and the return of the Australian drama Seachange has seen strong numbers on linear TV, recorded devices and catch up.

“This Time Next Year with Karl Stefanovic has also returned strongly and we are very pleased with the results to date.”

Turner argues that Nine is well positioned to keep that ratings momentum through spring and into summer.

“The strong start to the second half of the year has set us up nicely for the final quarter. We will have Love Island Australia moving to our primary channel, Channel 9, and we will see the return of Hamish and Andy with Perfect Holiday.

“Love Island is the hottest show on Earth right now. What we are seeing with this show is real growth season-on-season. That’s one of the reasons we have moved it to the primary channel.  It will come on after The Block, and this season we are expecting the stakes to increase.

“Hamish and Andy are heading off on a brand-new adventure in Perfect Holiday. It will be action-packed with a twist – they will challenge each other to take part in increasingly bizarre and ridiculous tasks. It’s a fun-packed series we are looking forward to seeing it later this year.”

Nine’s head of programming also underlined the importance of special events in the second half from major sport like the NRL finals and Grand Final to such audience favourites as the ARIAs or Carols by Candlelight. 

“The NRL finals and Grand Finals coming up will pull an audience in the millions,” says Turner.

“The ARIAs also return to Nine in November and we are looking forward to celebrating the biggest and the best of the Australian music scene. We have some big international acts lined up this year along with some of the biggest Australian acts who will also performing.

“To cap it off we have Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight, which is always the biggest rating TV show of the Christmas period. We are looking forward to seeing the return of this wonderful family favourite.”

Turner added that sport would help to seal the year for Nine by carrying its ratings momentum into summer and the Australian Open tennis tournament.

“Sport is a key part of Nine’s summer DNA. After starting with The Ashes in recent weeks, it will carry our momentum into the Summer of Tennis on Nine and the Australian Open in 2020.”