For the third consecutive year, CTV’s Canadian Idol drew a season average of more than two million viewers for its 34-episode run. Big, but down slightly from last year’s season average of 2.2 million.

The two-hour finale, which aired on Sept. 14 and saw Calgary’s Melissa O’Neil crowned Idol, brought in 2.7 million, running from 8-10 p.m., and peaking at 3.8 million. Again, it’s a drop from the 3.35 million who watched Kaylan Porter’s victory. The 90-minute performance show, which aired on Sept. 13, brought in 2.3 million.

‘The top 10 competitors have become heroes in their hometowns,’ says CTV’s president of programming Susanne Boyce. ‘That pride and support for the local Idol brings Canadians together like no other program in Canada, and is an important factor in the success of the series.’

The Idol hype also benefited the network’s eTalk Daily entertainment news program, which drew 541,000 viewers before the finale, after receiving stiff competition from Global’s Entertainment Tonight Canada, which premiered Sept. 12 with a strong 470,000 viewers.

Boyce would not say if Canadian Idol would return next season, but an announcement will be made in the coming weeks. It is produced by Toronto’s Insight Productions, with Rink Rat Productions and Aquila Productions.

Elsewhere, CTV saw success with its MOW Terry, about Terry Fox’s cross-Canada Marathon of Hope, which aired on Sept. 11. The movie brought in an average of about 1.3 million, peaking at 1.6 million during the final half-hour. CTV ran a repeat on Sept. 17, which garnered an additional 650,000 viewers.

‘The decision to rebroadcast the movie was based on both the timing of the Terry Fox Run and viewer response,’ says Boyce. The run was held the following day on Sept. 18.

The CBC had planned to also air a two-hour commercial-free special to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Fox’s marathon on Sept. 16, but it was dropped due to the broadcaster’s lockout.

CTV darling Corner Gas returned with its season premiere on Sept. 19 at 8 p.m., drawing 1.5 million, followed by the season premiere of Degrassi: The Next Generation, which garnered 716,000 viewers. Also worth noting from CTV is its broadcast of the 57th annual Emmy awards, which drew 1.9 million viewers, up 24% from 2004, and saw the best drama award handed to Lost, which returned to the network for season two on Sept. 21.