'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' Cancelled After Season 9? Ratings Decline Due to 1 Million Less Viewers [Spoiler VIDEO]
The Kardashian brand may be dying down, as the family's hit reality show has been losing nearly 1 million viewers per episode since season 5 of the E! series.
The season 5 premiere in 2010 was watched by 4.67 million viewers and held a steady average audience of 3.39 million, according to Radar Online. The next three seasons, however, saw a steady decline of almost 1 million viewers per episode. The decline ended with the season 8 finale, which aired on Dec. 1 and attracted 2.3 million Total Viewers.
The same episode racked in 1.6 million adults between 18-49 and 1.2 million women between 18-49, making it the show's most-watched episode since Aug. 18.
The gossip website included a breakdown of the show's average number of viewers per season beginning with the fifth:
Season 5 - 3.39 million viewers on average.
Season 6 - 3.04 million viewers on average.
Season 7 - 2.62 million viewers on average.
Season 8 - 2.40 million viewers on average.
The report also pointed out that the show's ratings dipped significantly after Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from NBA player Kris Humphries after 72 days of marriage in 2011. A show insider said in October that the decline in ratings "is looking really bad for the Kardashians and their show."
"When Kendra Wilkinson's show dropped below 1 million viewers, they dropped it, so the Kardashian reality show is definitely in trouble," said the source.
Kris Jenner and Bruce Jenner's divorce rumors and Khloe Kardashian's marital woes may have played a part in drawing less fans, according to the same report. Khloe's husband Lamar Odom is living outside of their home due to alleged rampant drug use and cheating scandals.
A report in July stated that Kris Jenner and Kim are considering leaving the show on a "high note" after their contract expires in 2015 with season 9. According to a show insider, the mother and daughter duo would rather leave fans wanting more instead of renegotiating a new contract and watching the series "die a slow death."
X17 Online reported in October Kourtney Kardashian and her boyfriend Scott Disick were negotiating their own spin-off show, but that might also be in jeopardy.
Watch the season 9 teaser below.
