Madonna concert a US ratings flop
The controversial US broadcast of Madonna’s London concert was a flop, newly-released ratings show.
Only 4.6 million people tuned in to see the 48-year-old strutting her stuff at Wembley, despite the hype generated by the section of the show where she hung from a giant cross.
American network NBC cut that footage from its broadcast.
Madonna: The Confessions Tour – Live From London, was billed as a gala spectacular and was aired the night before Thanksgiving.
But it only came 78th over the week in ratings charts by Nielson Media, and was beaten on the night by CBS series Jericho, which attracted 9.7 million viewers, and the movie Cheaper by the Dozen on Fox, watched by 6.4 million Americans.
Spanish-language network Univision’s telenovela La Fea Mas Bella was also more popular.
The ratings news comes as a judge in Malawi ruled in favour of a coalition of human rights organisations who want to help assess whether Madonna is fit to adopt a toddler from the country.
She and filmmaker husband Guy Ritchie have been given an interim order allowing them to take initial custody of 14-month-old David Banda.
The rights groups were concerned that the government cut legal corners to “fast-track” the adoption.
Malawian regulations stipulate that prospective parents should undergo an 18-to-24 month assessment period in the country, but the superstar was allowed to take David to London soon after receiving the interim order.
