Jesse Watters Leads Fox News Channel’s New Prime Time Lineup To Ratings Win Monday Night

Fox News Channel’s Jesse Watters was the most-watched host in prime time Monday night, as Jesse Watters Primetime drew an average total audience of more than 2.4 million viewers. The show, making its debut in the 8 p.m. ET timeslot vacated by Tucker Carlson, beat the combined ratings of CNN and MSNBC, according to early overnight ratings data compiled by Nielsen.

Fox News’ revamped lineup, which features The Ingraham Angle at 7 p.m. and Gutfeld! at 10 p.m., won the night with an average total audience in prime of 2.24 million viewers, followed by MSNBC (1.76 million viewers) and CNN (535,903 viewers). FNC saw a 37 percent increase in ratings compared to the weeks since Carlson was fired in April, and double-digit ratings increases compared to last week.

At 7 p.m. ET, Laura Ingraham’s debut in her new timeslot delivered a total audience of 2.038 million viewers, well ahead of MSNBC’s The ReidOut (1.115 million viewers) and CNN’s Erin Burnett Outfront (613,063 viewers). Ingraham also won among viewers 25 to 54, the key demographic valued by advertisers, with an audience of 142,847 viewers. MSNBC’s The ReidOut was second with 123,256 viewers and CNN’s Erin Burnett Outfront was third with 103,665 viewers.

At 8 p.m., Jesse Watters Primetime (2.421 million viewers) easily outdistanced MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes (1.222 million viewers) and CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 (668,222 viewers). Watters also won the key demo with 159,009 viewers, followed by All In with Chris Hayes (121,597 viewers) and Anderson Cooper 360 (114,585 viewers).

At 10 p.m. ET, Greg Gutfeld’s first night in prime after moving from late night delivered a total audience of 2.095 million viewers, followed by MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (1.743 million viewers) and CNN Primetime (467,018 viewers). Gutfeld! also won among viewers 25-54 with 240,253 viewers—the highest-rated show in the key demo on the night. MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell was second overall with 163,085 viewers and CNN Primetime finished third with 108,237 viewers.