'Temptation Island' Draws Millions

  • by January 12, 2001
(AP) - The debut of Fox's "Temptation Island" proved enticing for viewers, with 16 million tuning in to see sexy singles test the fidelity of four couples. According to preliminary ratings, the reality series drew a bigger audience Wednesday than the debut of CBS' "Survivor." That show premiered with 15.5 million viewers last May.

"Temptation Island," which critics and religious leaders said had a destructive premise, also outdrew the Tuesday premiere of ABC's "The Mole."

The ABC reality series, which takes over the Tuesday slot of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" for nine weeks, failed to match the Regis Philbin quiz show in total viewership but attracted a younger audience. It was 26% smaller than Philbin's average audience in that slot.

ABC pronounced itself satisfied with the 13.7 million viewers who watched "The Mole," in which contestants solve challenges and ferret out the saboteur in their midst for a prize of up to $1 million.

"The Mole" increased viewership among the prized demographic of adults 18 to 34 for the 8 p.m. EST Tuesday time slot by more than 50% compared to the season average, according to ABC numbers.

Fox also drew a young audience for "Temptation Island." It was the network's highest-rated Wednesday premiere ever among young adults, besting competitors including NBC's "The West Wing" in that demographic, the network said.

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