Entertainment Tonight Draws 2.99 Million Viewers
The syndicated newsmagazine posted strong weekly ratings after rival Access Hollywood ended its 30-season run.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Celebrities
Entertainment Tonight averaged 2.99 million viewers during the week of Oct. 5, 2026, according to Nielsen live+same-day ratings. The show, the No. 1 syndicated newsmagazine, followed the September end of rival Access Hollywood after 30 seasons.
Why it matters
The ratings gain comes as the syndicated newsmagazine category shifts, with one of its longtime competitors gone from the schedule. Entertainment Tonight's growth in major demographics suggests viewers are consolidating around the remaining show.
Entertainment Tonight averaged 2.99 million viewers in the week of Oct. 5, up 9% from CBS premiere week in 2025, with adults 18-49 at a 0.27 rating, up 37% from last year. Whether these gains hold beyond the season's first month has not been established.
The players
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a long-running syndicated entertainment newsmagazine produced by CBS Media Ventures.
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood was a syndicated entertainment newsmagazine that competed with Entertainment Tonight for decades before ending its run in 2026.
CBS Media Ventures
CBS Media Ventures is the CBS division that produces and distributes first-run syndicated programming, including Entertainment Tonight.
The details
Ratings were measured using Nielsen live+same-day data, and the week coincided with CBS's primetime premiere week. Entertainment Tonight, produced and distributed by CBS Media Ventures, also posted double-digit year-to-year growth in major demographics during the first month of the TV season, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 25.
Timeline
Sept. 11, 2026: Access Hollywood ended its run after 30 seasons.
Sept. 28 to Oct. 25, 2026: Entertainment Tonight recorded double-digit demographic growth during the first month of the season.
Oct. 5, 2026: Entertainment Tonight averaged 2.99 million viewers for the week.
Industry Dynamics
The ratings rise follows Access Hollywood's September exit after 30 seasons and NBCUniversal's elimination of its first-run syndication division, reflecting a contracting market for syndicated newsmagazines. Entertainment Tonight's eighth consecutive Daytime Emmy for outstanding entertainment news series underscores its standing as the category's remaining leader.
Viewers in the U.S. can continue watching Entertainment Tonight on syndicated television as the show remains the category's main daily option. The extraction does not describe changes to broadcast schedules or streaming availability.
The takeaway
Ratings for syndicated entertainment news can shift quickly when a major competitor exits, so audiences checking this category should watch whether the gains last past the season's opening weeks. Readers tracking the trend can compare future Nielsen releases against these first-month figures.
Further reading
For more on the people and shows driving entertainment coverage, explore the Celebrities section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Variety.
