With his second incarnation of Hard Quiz, an offshoot titled Hard Quiz Kids, set to premiere, host Tom Gleeson is having the last laugh.
Repeats of his ABC quiz are now doing so well in a 6:30pm timeslot, they have blitzed the numbers its predecessor, The Drum, was attracting a year ago.
Take for instance a week in early June last year for The Drum. Its ratings hovered around 160,000 metro linear viewers.
2023:
Monday June 5: 168,000
Tuesday June 6: 155,000
Wednesday June 7: 172,000
Thursday June 9: 157,000
While the ratings methodology has changed in 2024, the following Hard Quiz numbers are like-for-like… 5 city metro, broadcast only.
2024:
Monday June 3: 280,000
Tuesday June 4: 260,000
Wednesday June 5: 253,000
Thursday June 6: 244,000
It shows Gleeson’s repeats have gained around 80,000 – 110,000 on The Drum, whilst saving on the production costs for the latter.
When you add in Regional and BVOD the totals are even greater (which to be fair to The Drum would have also lifted under the new system).
Monday June 3: 457,000
Tuesday June 4: 422,000
Wednesday June 5: 415,000
Thursday June 6: 391,000
Speaking with TV Tonight, Gleeson said, “It amuses me because people do complain to me on social media saying, ‘We’re sick of repeats, bring back The Drum.’ And I try to point out to them, ‘You keep watching the repeats. It’s your fault. So don’t watch!’ The best thing you could do is not watch the repeats and spread the word to not watch the repeats and then they’ll take them off air.
“I reply to people. I try to be logical,” he added.
Gleeson also did not hold back when one former Drum regular complained about Hard Quiz repeats on social media, answering her in a snarky online reply.
“It was Jane Caro, who used to be on The Drum. But that amused me too because she’s wanting to bring back The Drum. You were a guest on The Drum, of course you want it back. I don’t mind having a bit of stick online thrown at me and I’m happy to throw it back.”
Hard Quiz Kids premieres tonight at 7:30pm on ABC Family.