Talk Show Race Heats Up

Review based on a national syndicated rating report for the week ending April 24, 2022.

Michelle Obama was a huge draw for Ellen as syndication’s biggest talkers were the hot shows in the session ending April 24. In fact three of the top four shot up by double digits both week to week and year to year.

At the head of the class Dr. Phil (1.6 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 14% from the week before) dashed into a first place dead heat with recent leader Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.6, down 6%). “Phil” was also 14% ahead of the same week last year.

Ellen DeGeneres (11-week high 1.0, up 11%) was also up 11% from last year at this time. Ellen, a legendary voice in the talk world, is in its 19^th and final syndication season. Former first lady Michelle Obama’s guest spot on April 19^th caused the show’s ratings to mushroom 50% from the prior Tuesday to a weekly high 1.2.  For the full week the show’s average audience surged to well over 1.5-million, increasing by 234,000 viewers each day.

The soon-to-be-widely-upgraded Kelly Clarkson (0.9, up 13%) also kicked into a higher gear, growing another 13% from one year ago. 

Elsewhere in daytime Judge Judy (three-week high 4.6, up 7%) continued to crush the courtroom shows for an unprecedented 1,335^th consecutive week. Friend of the court Hot Bench (1.5, up 7%) was a strong No. 2 in the legal genre.

Jeopardy (5.6, up 4%) led the games for a fourth straight week. Family Feud (5.1, unchanged) was next.