‘And we’ve only just begun’: Andrew Neil celebrates as his weeknight show on GB News attracts 92,000 viewers – 26% more than BBC News channel and three times audience of Sky
- Andrew Neil primetime show on GB News attracted 92,000 viewers last night
- The one-hour programme beat competitors Sky and BBC News on audience
- The 72-year-old journalist celebrated the news saying ‘we’ve only just begun’
- Millions more tuned in to watch tense Euros 2020 football matches that decided England’s Last 16 opponent
Andrew Neil was celebrating last night as his GB News show beat out rivals to claim the number one news spot.
The brand new channel has been recording promising viewing figures since it launched on June 13.
And last night Neil’s flagship 8pm interview show brought in 92,500 viewers – while competing with huge European football matches.
Audience data shows the former This Week presenter scored three times higher than Sky News at the same time, and 24,000 more than BBC News.
Andrew Neil was celebrating last night as his GB News show beat out rivals to claim the number one news spot
Audience data shows the former This Week presenter scored three times higher than Sky News at the same time, and 24,000 more than BBC News
The 72-year-old took to social media to celebrate the news, writing: ‘Great figures on @GBNEWS Andrew Neil show last night. Number one in time slot (again).
‘Three times audience of Sky News. 26% more than BBC News Channel. And we’ve only just begun.’
It was also reported that the show attracted ‘quite a young audience’ with higher numbers in the 16 to 35-year-old demographic.
The post has seen mixed responses from viewers, with some congratulating Andrew on the figures.
One said: ‘Congratulations. You are a very skilled interviewer who can attract high calibre guests. What are the numbers like for the rest of the GBNEWS output?’
Launching the show two weeks ago, Neil gave a five minute introduction for viewers, saying the network would concentrate on ‘the stories that matter to you and that others are neglecting’
Another wrote: “You’ve built it and they’ve come,” while a third added: “It’s so much calmer than watching GMB. It’s nice to start the day without having to shout at the TV for a change. When are you going to interview Sturgeon?”
But others pointed out that the slot doesn’t coincide with many other major news platforms.
Launching the show two weeks ago, Neil gave a five minute introduction for viewers, saying the network would concentrate on ‘the stories that matter to you and that others are neglecting’.
He added: ‘We are committed to covering the people’s agenda, not the media’s agenda.
‘GB News will not be yet another echo chamber for the metropolitan mindset that already dominates so much of the media.
‘We are proud to be British, the clue is in the name, and while we will never hold back from covering our country’s many flaws and problems… we won’t forget what the B stands for in our title.
‘We will puncture the pomposity of our elites… and expose their growing promotion of cancel culture for the threat to free speech and democracy that it is.’
The night’s largest audience share however went to the Euros 2020 football tournament.
Millions more tuned in to watch Group D games involving Germany, Hungary, Portugal and France as they fought for the top spots.
The pair of lively matches also revealed who England will face in their Last 16 at Wembley, with Germany being chosen after coming second.