‘Hand In Hand’ Hurricane Relief Telethon Logs 16 Million Viewers On Broadcast Networks

A star-studded telethon to raise money for those hit by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma attracted slightly more than 15.7 million viewers on broadcast TV Tuesday night.

According to fast-affiiate stats, NBC clocked the largest crowd to the Hand In Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief fundraiser – about 6.1M, which is not surprising given that it was America’s Got Talent Night.

CBS  logged nearly 4.1M. ABC contributed 4M viewers to the effort and Fox broadcast network added 1.6M. The program ran sustaining, so whatever are the network’s final tallies for the telethon, they will not officially be rated by Nielsen, though the number-crunching org is expected to put out a cumed stat later today.

The biggest names in Hollywood banded together for the event that spanned multiple networks and online. The telethon filmed in New York,  Los Angeles, Nashville, and San Antonio, raising more than $44 million. Among those participating were Stevie Wonder, Cher, Justin Timberlake, Billy Crystal, Kerry Washington, Stephen Colbert, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey, Dwayne Johnson, Beyonce, and many more.