Katie Couric’s ‘Katie’ earns best daytime talk show debut ratings since ‘Dr. Phil’

Katie Couric’s syndicated daytime talk show Katie pulled in strong ratings across the country, earning the best debut since Dr. Phil premiered 10 years ago.

Deadline reports that Katie kicked off with a 2.8 household rating and 8 share in the 56 metered markets, according to early numbers. That’s the best numbers for a new daytime talk show since Dr. Phil earned the same ratings 10 years ago in September 2002.

It is by far the best-rated new talk show of the season, beating Steve Harvey’s, which started last week, by 87 percent, notes The Wrap. It also beat Survivor host Jeff Probst’s show by 150 percent and The Ricki Lake Show by 250 percent. Lake’s show drew just a 0.8 rating.

Katie also did 115 percent better than the second season premiere of Anderson Cooper’s Anderson, which had a 1.3 rating.

Katie’s first episode featured interviews with Jessica Simpson, who showed off her post-baby body for the first time, and singer Sheryl Crow, who talked about her brain tumor diagnosis. Crow also penned the show’s title song.

Jeff Zucker, who worked with Couric at Today, executive produces the show, which is distributed by Disney-ABC TV.