Viewers resist itch for Seven Year Switch

The show may have copped a bruising across social media but Seven Year Switch has been a ratings winner for Seven.

More than 850,000 viewers tuned in to watch the premiere of the controversial partner swapping series on Tuesday night, which follows four couples on the cusp of a relationship breakdown.

The reality TV show uses switch therapy to swap partners to see if they can live for two weeks with an opposite sex partner who has similar personality traits.

It was number seven on OzTAM's Top 20 programs, beating The Big Bang Theory (No 9) and Here Come the Habibs (No 12). However it wasn't strong enough to take on My Kitchen Rules, which was number one with 1.375 million viewers.

TOP TEN PROGRAMS ON TUESDAY:

1. My Kitchen Rules (Seven) - 1.375 million

2. Seven News (Seven) - 1.018 million

3. Seven News / Today Tonight (Seven) - 1 million

4. Nine News 6:30 (Seven) - 949,000

5. Nine News (Seven) - 937,000

6. A Current Affair (Nine) - 903,000

7. Seven Year Switch (Seven) - 858,000

8. Home And Away (Seven) - 808,000

9. The Big Bang Theory Tues (Nine) - 807,000

10. The Big Bang Theory RPT (Nine) - 755,000

12. Here Come The Habibs! (Nine) - 683,000