Laurent Ruquier’s Debut on BFMTV: A Look at the Ratings

Laurent Ruquier’s Debut on BFMTV: A Look at the Ratings

An Impressive Debut

On September 25, 2023, renowned French television personality Laurent Ruquier made his grand entrance as the host of “Le 20h de Ruquier” on BFMTV. The show, which aired from 8 pm to 9 pm, saw Ruquier joined by co-host Julie Hammett. The inaugural episode tackled topics such as police violence and the 100 euros fuel cheque, capturing the attention of a considerable number of viewers.

According to Médiamétrie, the debut of “Le 20h de Ruquier” was witnessed by 385,000 viewers, representing 1.8% of individuals aged four and above. This figure denotes a significant rise of 116% compared to the average audience for that timeslot since the beginning of the television season.

Competition in the Timeslot

Despite the impressive start of “Le 20h de Ruquier,” it faced stiff competition from other shows in the same timeslot. Pascal Praud’s “L’heure des pros 2” on CNews attracted 739,000 viewers, representing a 3.5% audience share. Notably, the Canal+ group’s TNT channel refrained from airing any advertisements between 8 pm and 9 pm, possibly to maintain viewer attention.

Other competition came from LCI’s “Un oeil sur le monde,” hosted by Julien Arnaud and Amélie Carrouer, which drew 218,000 viewers, accounting for 1.0% of the audience. “Les informés” on Franceinfo also managed to attract 131,000 viewers, representing a 0.6% audience share.

Ruquier’s Vision for the Show

In an interview, Ruquier stated that his aspiration for “Le 20h de Ruquier” was to “nip viewers from all channels.” He mentioned Pascal Praud’s daily show on CNews as a competitor, along with “20 Heures,” “C à vous” on France 5, and “Quotidien.” Ruquier humorously added that he would try not to draw too many viewers away from Cyril Hanouna’s show “Touche pas à mon poste!” on C8, as his partner, Hugo Manos, is part of that program, and taking viewers from it could cause domestic disputes.

Conclusion

The debut of “Le 20h de Ruquier” on BFMTV marks a new chapter in French television, with Laurent Ruquier and Julie Hammett bringing their unique approach to the 8 pm timeslot. Despite facing tough competition from other shows, the first episode made a promising start, significantly boosting the average audience figures for the timeslot. As the show progresses, it will be interesting to see if Ruquier and Hammett can continue to attract viewers and stand out in this competitive landscape.