‘Millionaire’ Debuts With New Host

Disney-ABC game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire began its first season with new host Terry Crews with solid ratings in a few top markets while generating a national 1.0 household rating and 3 share in metered markets for its first two days. That was down 23% from its time slots last September, based on Nielsen metered-market ratings.

In New York, Millionaire ranked No. 1 in its 2 p.m. time slot on ABC-owned WABC with a two-day average 2.3/8, down 30% from ABC soap opera General Hospital last year and down a modest 8% from its lead-in rating. GH moved back to 3 p.m., where it had been replaced by Disney-ABC syndicated talk show Katie.

On ABC’s KABC Los Angeles, Millionaire had a 0.7/2 at 3 p.m., down 41% from Katie one year ago and down 56% from its lead-in.

On Fox TV Station’s MNT affiliate WPWR Chicago, Millionaire had a 0.3/1 at 4 p.m., flat to its time slots last September and its lead-in. At 4:30 p.m., the show’s 0.4/1 was flat but up 33% from its lead-in.

On ABC’s WPVI Philadelphia, Millionaire ranked No. 1 at 2 p.m. with a 3.2/11, down 9% from General Hospital last September. It was flat to its lead-in, ABC’s The Chew.

Crews, who co-stars in the Fox sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, replaced Cedric the Entertainer on Millionaire. Last season, Cedric replaced Meredith Vieira as host.