TV3 HAS GROWN its audience by over a quarter, with January 2017 viewing figures up 26% on the same period last year.

The TV3 group, which also operates the 3e and be3 channels, hailed this latest announcement of audience figures as representing a “significant growth” in their share.

Overall, they say viewership across the three channels was up 57% compared to January 2016, with demand for its online service 3player also increasing with 94% more plays at the start of this year.

TV3 highlighted Celebrity Masterchef Ireland, the soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale, and the singing contest the Voice UK as contributing to this increase in viewers.

The soaps made a return to TV3 screens in December, as part of the channel’s takeover of UTV Ireland.

Celebrity Big Brother were said to have brought the viewers to 3e, with TV3 saying it outperformed RTÉ 2 in their share of viewers under 45 on 16 out of the 31 days in January. 3e had an overall share of 3.88% of the television audience for the month.

Its newly-launched “female-oriented” be3 enjoyed a 2.6% share of the viewing figures, putting it in 6th place for channels broadcast in Ireland.

Bill Malone, director of programming at TV3, said that he was delighted with the figures, and that the company was looking to continue putting “quality Irish programming” at the heart of what they do.

He added: “Giving viewers more choice is central to our three channel strategy.”

TV3′s figures were supplied by TAM/Nielsen’s January 2016/2017 report.

Read: ‘We were effectively sold a pup’: UTV Ireland staff on their 2 years of ‘pointless efforts’

Read: UTV Ireland is to be relaunched… as the “female orientated” Be3