‘Late Late Toy Show’ triumphs as most-watched Irish TV show in 2016

The Late Late Toy Show was once again the most popular programme broadcast on Irish television last year.

The programme broadcast on December 2nd reached 1,571,600 viewers. It had 300,000 viewers more than the next most-watched programme, the Euro 2016 second-round match between France and Ireland which attracted 1,262,000 viewers.

All 20 of the most popular programmes were broadcast on RTÉ and 12 of the 20 were sports events. It is the first time since 2014 that all 20 were broadcast on RTÉ.

The Republic of Ireland's Euro 2016 group matches against Italy (1,231,000), Sweden (1,082,000) and Belgium (925,000) were respectively the third, fourth and sixth most-watched programmes.

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The All-Ireland football final and replay between Dublin and Mayo were the fifth and seventh most-watched events of the year. The drawn match attracted 927,000 viewers; the replay 843,500.

The All-Ireland hurling final between Tipperary and Kilkenny was the eighth most-watched with 785,500 viewers.

The Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France and the semi-final between Portugal and Wales were ninth and 10th most-viewed programmes respectively.

The RTÉ Nine O'Clock news bulletin on Saturday, February 27th was the 11th most-watched programme of the year and the most-watched news programme. Some 721,400 viewers tuned into the main evening news while the general election count was going on.

The second episode of the Easter Rising drama series Rebellion on RTÉ One was the 12th most-watched programme with 713,000 viewers. The five-part drama series received mixed reviews and the numbers declined with the last episode attracting an audience of 463,000 viewers.

The Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas special, Mammy's Forest, broadcast on Christmas Day was the 13th most-watched programme with 706,600 viewers. Episodes of Brendan O'Carroll's comedy series also feature on the 15th and 20th most-watched programmes of the year.

Three Ireland rugby internationals feature in the top 20. The return match between New Zealand and Ireland on November 19th which New Zealand won attracted 683,000 viewers. RTÉ did not broadcast the historic match in Chicago where Ireland beat New Zealand for the first time.

The RBS Six Nations game between France and Ireland attracted 672,500 and the match between England and Ireland 630,800 viewers making them the 18th and 19th most-watched programmes of the year.

Architect Dermot Bannon's Room to Improve features as the 16th most-watched programme with 679,100 viewers.

The second most-watched Late Late Show of the season was broadcast on February 19th, with guests including Oliver Callan, Pat Phelan and the Celtic Tenors. It attracted 678,800 viewers and was the 20th most-watched programme of the year. The viewing figures are compiled by TAM Ireland/Nielsen.