Ascolti TV 12 Febbraio 2026: Don Matteo Leader

Thursday, February 12, 2026, saw a diverse television landscape in Italy, with Rai1’s Don Matteo 15 leading in viewership during prime time. The series captivated 3,790,000 viewers, achieving a 23.2% share of the audience between 9:52 PM and 11:52 PM. Across the evening, Italian viewers tuned into a mix of drama, news, sports – including the ongoing Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics – and entertainment programming.

Prime Time Viewership

Competition for viewers was strong. Canale5’s Striscia la Notizia secured 1,773,000 viewers with an 11.7% share, while its “Extra” segment reached an additional 719,000 viewers (10.6%). Rai2’s coverage of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, specifically the Ice Skating event, drew 2,413,000 viewers, representing an 11.3% share between 8:58 PM and 10:09 PM. Italia1’s action film, Mission: Impossible – Protocol Ghost, attracted 787,000 viewers, achieving a 4.8% share.

Did You Know? The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics were a significant draw for viewers on Rai2, with multiple events attracting over 1.7 million viewers throughout the day.

Access Prime Time and Early Evening

Earlier in the evening, Rai1 continued to perform well with Cinque Minuti (3,889,000 viewers, 19.1%) and Affari Tuoi (4,876,000 viewers, 22.6%) between 8:50 PM and 9:44 PM. Canale5’s La Ruota della Fortuna also proved popular, garnering 4,664,000 viewers and a 21.6% share after Gira La Ruota della Fortuna (3,859,000 – 18.6%). The preserale slot saw Rai1’s L’Eredità – La Sfida dei 7 reach 3,128,000 viewers (20.9%), followed by L’Eredità itself with 4,345,000 viewers (24.9%).

Daytime and Afternoon Programming

Throughout the daytime, Rai1 maintained a strong presence with programmes like 1mattina News (494,000 viewers, 13.4%) and Storie Italiane (907,000 viewers, 17.8%). Canale5’s Mattino Cinque also drew significant viewership, with 967,000 viewers in its first segment (19.6%). The afternoon saw continued Olympic coverage on Rai2, with events like Snowboard and Ski Freestyle attracting over 1.5 million viewers. Canale5’s soap operas, Beautiful, Io Sono Farah, and Forbidden Fruit, consistently drew over 2 million viewers each.

Expert Insight: The consistent performance of Rai1’s daytime and early evening programming suggests a strong loyalty among its core audience, while Canale5’s soap operas demonstrate the enduring appeal of this genre to Italian viewers.

Late Night and News Consumption

In the late evening, Rai1’s Porta a Porta garnered 645,000 viewers (11.4%), while Canale5’s X-Style reached 419,000 viewers (7.8%). News consumption remained steady, with the TG1 evening news reaching 4,316,000 viewers (22.1%) and TG5 attracting 3,828,000 viewers (19.3%).

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the most-watched programme on February 12, 2026?

Don Matteo 15 on Rai1 was the most-watched programme, with 3,790,000 viewers.

Which channel had the highest overall share of viewership?

Rai1 had the highest overall share of viewership, with 18.54% during the day.

How did the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics perform in terms of viewership?

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics performed well, with several events on Rai2 attracting over 1.3 million viewers.

Given the strong performance of established programmes like Don Matteo and the consistent viewership of news broadcasts, It’s likely that Italian television networks will continue to prioritize these formats in their programming schedules. The success of the Winter Olympics coverage could also lead to increased investment in sports programming in the future.