NEARLY ONE MILLION VIEWERS TUNE IN FOR FINALE OF RT S LOVE/HATE

NEARLY ONE MILLION VIEWERS TUNE IN FOR FINALE OF RT S LOVE/HATE 17 December 2012: An average audience of 953,000* viewers watched the season finale of RT s hit series Love/Hate last night (Sunday 16 December), which represents a 56% share of the audience.

The reach was over 1.2 million viewers** and episode six is currently the most watched show on the RT Player. A peak of over one million (1,074,440)*** viewers tuned into RT One at 10:27pm to watch the gripping climax when Lizzie (Caoilfhionn Dunne) shot Darren (Robert Sheehan) in a bid to avenge the murder of her brother.

The final episode of last year's second series attracted an average audience of 616,000 viewers in comparison this year's season finale saw a remarkable increase of 337,000 viewers. The third series had an average of 748,000 viewers which represents a 42% share of the audience.

The series has not only proved to be a ratings hit but has also attracted strong critical acclaim and overwhelmingly positive feedback from viewers.

Commissioning Editor for RT Drama, Jane Gogan said, The success of this series comes directly from the hard work, immense creativity and ingenuity of the many people involved throughout this production led by Stuart Carolan, James Flynn, Suzanne McAuley, Steve Matthews and David Caffrey. A superb cast, brilliant writing and direction under the umbrella of good producing has brought a deep connection with the audience and appointment to view for the last six weeks. I'm delighted with the viewers' response and the success of the series for all those involved.

Love/Hate writer and creator Stuart Carolan said, I think it's amazing that the Irish public has come on this journey with us and in such numbers. From Clondalkin to Cahersiveen they've stayed with us and this is because of world class Irish actors like Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Robert Sheehan. Tom Vaughan Lawlor as Nidge has created this fiendish monster that is the Nidge Weasel and made him his own. Robert Sheehan is a young actor who brought such a special and unique charisma to Darren. It was hugely difficult to say goodbye to him and I understand the audience's loss at his demise. Both Robbie and Tom are actors that come along once in a lifetime and we, on the production team, feel privileged that they both said yes to us. We have a great production team and massive support from Jane Gogan and David Crean in RT who gave us the creative freedom to just go for it.

Last week RT announced that the American online video service HULU had acquired the rights to show Love/Hate. HULU has acquired the rights to show the first and second series from ITV Global Entertainment which represents Love/Hate on behalf of RT and Octagon Films. HULU is an online video service that offers a selection of hit shows, clips and movies at Hulu.com, numerous destination sites online, and through their ad-supported subscription service. Other popular dramas hosted on HULU include Grey's Anatomy and Downtown Abbey. The announcement means that the popular Irish drama Love/Hate will be available to an American viewing audience on a much wider scale.

To date the first and second series of Love/Hate have also been broadcast in Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East. Australia and South Korea have confirmed purchase of the third series.

The third series and the boxset of series one, two and three is available for sale in retail outlets across the country from today.

Love/Hate is written and created by Stuart Carolan and produced by Octagon Films for RT . Its cast, now household names, includes Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Robert Sheehan, Peter Coonan, Charlie Murphy, Aoibhinn McGinnity, Susan Loughnane and Jason Barry.

LINK:	http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2012/1219/35971...
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