Grand Designs NZ is a ratings winner with Kiwi viewers.
The debut of Grand Designs NZ proved a ratings winner for TV3 last night, clocking in as the most-watched programme with viewers aged 25-54.
191,000 viewers aged 25-54 tuned into watch the Kiwi version of the much-loved Kevin McCloud series, ahead of One News, Sunday and Topp Country.
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• Review: Grand Designs NZ is up to the job
Sunday night also saw a boost to The Block: Villa Wars ratings, with 138,000 viewers (25-54) tuning in for the room reveal episode.
New Plymouth couple Cat and Jeremy won the first reveal, while Hamilton sisters Sarah and Minanne earned one of the lowest scores in The Block NZ history, scoring just 5.5/20.
The sisters, who are also the youngest contestants to star on The Block NZ, came unstuck when their paint selection - a subtle lavender - turned out to be closer to Pepto-Bismol pink.
Earlier in the week, the renovation series debuted to its lowest ratings ever, with 104,000 (25-54) viewers tuning, before dropping even further on Wednesday night to 85,000 (25-54).
Herald writer Calum Henderson praised the local debut of Grand Designs and its host Chris Moller, writing: "Beautifully shot, faithful to the original format in all the right places, but with a strong and unmistakably New Zealand heart, it was better than anyone had any reasonable right to expect."
Top 5 Programmes (National 5+)
1). One News, TV One, 6pm : 648,000
2). Sunday, TV One, 7pm : 505,000
3). Topp Country, TV One, 8pm : 441,000
4). Grand Designs NZ, TV3, 8.30pm : 319,000
5). Winter, TV One, 8.30pm : 294,000
Top 5 Programmes (25-54)
1). Grand Designs NZ, TV3, 8.30pm : 190,000
2). One News, TV One, 6pm : 182,000
3). Sunday, TV One, 7pm : 158,000
4). The Block NZ, TV3, 7pm : 138,000
5). Topp Country, TV One, 8pm : 135,000
'It is a project that was of great importance to Malcolm.'