“Dr Phil” Hits Eight-Week High and Reclaims First Place in Talk

Dr Phil (eight-week high 2.2 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 10% from the week before) shrugged off the COVID-19 pandemic preemptions that stymied most of syndication and rose to the top of talkers in the session ending May 17.

The show has now increased for three weeks in a row, climbing 22% since the week ending April 26, and has been number one in talk 182 times in the past 193 weeks.

Not far behind was second place Live with Kelly and Ryan (2.0, down 5%), which had led the genre for the previous seven weeks.  Ellen DeGeneres (new season low 1.5, down 6%) was third.

Among the talk show newcomers Tamron Hall (0.9, steady) was inundated with top market preemptions but nevertheless grew 33% in the key W25-54 age group.

The highest rated show overall in daytime was Judge Judy (5.9, down 8%) despite being in repeats on all five days.  The apparently unbeatable gaveler (1,234 straight wins in the weekly court show race) also leads all syndicated shows season to date in the household ratings.

In access Entertainment Tonight (2.7, down 4%) and Inside Edition (2.7, down 4%) tied for top magazine honors.