TV ratings: ‘Big Brother’ gains to help CBS win in viewership

The controversy surrounding “Big Brother” continues to boost ratings for the CBS reality show.

The privacy-deprivation show drew a season high of 6.67 million viewers, according to preliminary numbers from Nielsen. It clocked in with a 2.3 rating in the key 18-to-49 demographic with a 10% increase from last week’s Thursday debut. One rating point equals about 1.3 million viewers.

With “Big Brother” as its only original of the night, CBS had an average viewership of 5.95 million and an 18-to-49 rating of 1.7.

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The “Big Brother” broadcast, with a live eviction, beat Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” which got an average of 4.71 million people to tune in and scored a 2 rating.

NBC’s hour-long “Hollywood Game Night” at 10 p.m. hooked 3.9 million viewers and a 1.2 rating in 18-49, down from last week’s debut. The network’s Nick Lachey-hosted singing contest “The Winner Is...” also dropped, with 3.9 million people watching and a 0.9 key demo rating.

ABC’s 8 p.m. obstacle-course show “Wipeout” had its viewership increase 10% to 4.17 million; the show got a 1.1 rating. Following at 9 p.m., “Motive” had 4.61 million. At 10 p.m., “Rookie Blue” drew 5.2 million.

The CW was all in repeats Thursday night.

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ryan.faughnder@latimes.com

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