12.4MN watch ITV’s Oprah with Meghan and Harry
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Editor
| 09 March 2021
As the fall out of the explosive interview continues with UK MPs tabling questions regarding racism in the UK Royal Family and the resignation of a leading, controversial TV presenter, the one clear winner regarding Oprah With Meghan has been broadcaster ITV which has generated its largest peak audience for nearly two years.
oprah harry meghan 9 March 2021
Figures released by the UKs’ leading commercial broadcaster show that ITV’s exclusive UK broadcast of Oprah Winfrey’s interview Prince Harry and Meghan Markel was watched by a peak audience of 12.4 million viewers on 8 March. The broadcast was viewed by more than half of people watching television across the UK at that time with an average audience of 11.1 million, gaining a 54% share between 9pm and 11pm. ITV News, which directly followed Oprah With Meghan and Harry averaging 4.8 million, for a 45% share and a peak of 6.1 million, its highest since 15 November 2020.

This was ITV's biggest peak audience since the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final and the biggest on any channel outside of UK government, pandemic-related announcements since the Strictly Come Dancing final on BBC One in December.

The interview was hugely popular among young viewer with four out of five viewers aged 16-34 (83%) and 71% average tuning in for a peak of 2.5 million, and average of 2.1 million. This was the biggest 16-34 TV audience for overnight viewing, outside of news programming, since I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here in 2020.

In addition to linear viewing, 2.2 million viewers streamed the programme on ITV Hub where Oprah With Meghan and Harry is still available to view.

Oprah With Megan and Harry was part of a day of strong performances across ITV with coverage of the interview in ITV Daytime live shows from Good Morning Britain (GMB), which averaged 1.2 million ,and 1.8 million peak, its highest since 4 November (US Election) and third biggest overnight volume ever, with its highest ever share of viewing at 30%. However, due to reaction to controversial comments that he made regarding the interview and following discussion with ITV management, GMB host Piers Morgan has decided to leave the programme.