Ten’s Sarah Harris speaks about network’s bad ratings as Studio 10’s future remains uncertain

EXCLUSIVE: Studio 10 host Sarah Harris speaks about the network’s woeful ratings and if she fears for her career as the show’s future remains uncertain

  • Channel 10 had all-time ratings low on recent 10 News First: Breakfast program
  • Harris, co-host of Studio 10, said she was ‘always aware’ of television ratings
  • She said if you focus on the ratings too much it can ‘send you insane’
  • The mother-of-two has co-hosted the morning talk show since 2013 

Studio 10’s Sarah Harris says looking at daily TV ratings is driving her ‘insane’ – as her own network struggles to reel in an audience. 

The 41-year-old has hosted the Channel Ten morning talk show since 2013, but the future of the program remains uncertain as the network continues to suffers abysmal ratings.

The station’s 10 News First: Breakfast program, which launched in late June, recently set a new record for the worst rating program in Australian TV history – failing to secure a single viewer from Perth during one viewing in August.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at The Australian Women’s Weekly Women of the Future Luncheon in on Wednesday, Harris said she prefers to focus on ‘making TV’ rather than poring over minute-by-minute ratings reports. 

Studio 10’s Sarah Harris has revealed looking at television ratings can drive a person ‘insane’, while her network Channel 10 struggles to reel in an audience

She said she was ‘always aware’ about TV ratings because ‘working in television you have to be.

‘But I can only do the best I can do,’ she added.

‘If you’re getting to the point where you’re looking at the daily ratings, the minute by minute, it can send you insane.

‘That’s not my job, my job is to make TV and that’s what I do, and that’s how you get through it.’

Channel Ten replaced the first 30 minutes of Studio 10 with the breakfast news program when it launched on June 27. 

During its first five days on air, the 8am news broadcast drew an average of 17,000 viewers across the five major cities, but this dropped to just 15,000 a day in week two.

10 News First: Breakfast managed to deliver the lowest ever ratings in Australian TV history on its second day, after just 44 viewers tuned in from Sydney.  

The 41-year-old has hosted the Channel Ten morning talk show since 2013, but the future of the program remains uncertain as the network continues to suffers abysmal ratings

The 41-year-old has hosted the Channel Ten morning talk show since 2013, but the future of the program remains uncertain as the network continues to suffers abysmal ratings 

But Ten remained optimistic, telling The Australian: ’10 News First: Breakfast edition is maintaining its audience and increasing engagement as viewers become more familiar with the timeslot.’

Channel 10 earlier denied rumours Studio 10 was on the chopping block, with the morning show struggling in the ratings for years.

spokesperson for the network rubbished the speculation, telling Daily Mail Australia the program remains profitable and isn’t going anywhere.

Meanwhile, Harris said she had no intention of getting remarried after the breakdown of her relationship with her husband of seven years Tom Ward.

‘God no!’ when asked if she was dating anyone since the split.

‘My focus is my boys (aged four and six) and my job, they keep me plenty busy, so no I’ve got my hands full.’ 

Channel 10 earlier denied rumours Studio 10 was on the chopping block, with the morning show struggling in the ratings for years. Pictured with co-host Narelda Jacobs

Channel 10 earlier denied rumours Studio 10 was on the chopping block, with the morning show struggling in the ratings for years. Pictured with co-host Narelda Jacobs 

Harris, who underwent a body transformation in late 2020, losing six kilograms, also had her own tips for those wanting to change their lifestyle.

‘Try to move in any way you can everyday,’ she said.

‘There’s no quick fix, just move and try to do some weight resistance exercises.’

She said her own anxiety prompted her to start running.

‘I’m an anxious person, the way I deal with stress is to run, so that’s an added benefit,’ she said.

The mother-of-two said while exercise for her may have once been about fitting into a pair of jeans, it was now to keep her functional and to help strengthen her back. 

The television presenter said her main focus was on her job and not her program's ratings

The television presenter said her main focus was on her job and not her program’s ratings

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