The 2018 season of The Bachelor, starring former Wallabies star Nick ‘The Honey Badger’ Cummins, is the franchise’s most successful ever.
The unprecedented spike in the ratings is being attributed largely to the fact that more males have been watching the program than ever before.
According to the latest figures from OzTAM, 190,00 men in the five major capital cities sat down to watch Thursday’s episode of The Bachelor.
Is Nick Cummins’ series of The Bachelor the most successful ever because more MEN are watching than ever before? Daily Mail Australia takes a look at the ratings figures
This can be compared to figures from 2017’s season of The Bachelor starring Matthew Johnson. In the episode that aired one week prior to the finale, 132,000 males tuned in to watch the show in the five capital cities.
That means 58,000 more men decided to watch The Bachelor last Thursday when compared to roughly the same time last year.
So why did the male audience spike?
Broad appeal: According to the latest figures from OzTAM, 190,00 men in the five major capital cities sat down to watch Thursday’s episode of The Bachelor
TV industry insiders speculate that it has a lot to do with Nick’s profile as a sportsman and his larrikin persona.
Nick, 30, is a former rugby union player who has played for the Western Force in Super Rugby and the Coca-Cola Red Sparks in the Japanese Top League.
In 2012, Cummins was selected for the Australia squad for the Rugby Championship and played on the wing in the Wallabies’ 25-19 win over Argentina in Rosario.
Ladies’ choice? Some 58,000 more men tuned into last Thursday’s episode of The Bachelor than watched Matthew Johnson’s season at roughly the same time last year. Pictured: Matthew (right) with 2017 Bachelor winner Laura Byrne
And aside from his footy profile, there is no doubt that Nick’s ’70s-era moustache and unique sense of humour have endeared him to a whole new audience.
Whatever the reasons, the fast-approaching Bachelor finale is expected to be another ratings bonanza for Network Ten.
The Bachelor continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Network Ten
He’s quite a character! And aside from his footy profile, there is no doubt that Nick’s ’70s-era moustache and unique sense of humour have endeared him to a whole new audience