(Burbank, CA) – “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” returned to the studio and original episodes and viewers were eager to tune-in. The Season 18 opener, its strongest debut since the 2016-17 premiere, topped the Women demos among talk shows, improved its lead-in programming, and posted gains over its year-ago time period averages.

• Among Households, the series earned a 1.9 rating and 6 share, which improved its lead-in 1.2/4 by +58% in rating and +50% in share and steady vs its year-ago Sept time period average rating 1.9/6.

• The series led all Talk Shows in the important Women demographics earning a 0.6 in Women 18-34, 0.8 with W18-49 and 1.1 with W25-54 (tied with “The View”). In addition, “Ellen” ranked number-one with Adults 25-54 with a 0.9.

• Among W25-54, the series 1.1/8 showed a +120% boost in rating and +100 gain in share over its 0.5/4 lead-in and +38%/+33% growth over its Sept. 2019 time period average 0.8/6

• Versus last year’s debut episode, “Ellen” was steady year-to-year with W25-54 (1.1) and improved +0.1 with A25-54 (0.9), despite a declining lead-in. With A25-54, yesterday’s 0.9 rating was “Ellen’s” strongest-rated debut since 2016-17 (1.1 rating)

• In the major markets, “Ellen” was second only to network programming in NY, with a 1.5/10 W25-54 more than doubling its “Kelly” lead-in (0.7/5). Similarly, in LA, “Ellen’s” 0.8/6 doubled “Kelly” lead-in (0.4/3).