UPDATE: TONY AWARDS Delivers 8.7 Million Viewers; Surges to 15-Year High

UPDATE 1:05 pm/et: CBS now reports that in the all-important adults 18-49 demo, the 70th annual TONY AWARD ceremony was up 60% from 2015 in fast affiliates vs. final numbers. The numbers mark the best demo results since 2003.

In total viewership, the Tony Awards delivered an audience of 8.73 million last night from 8 - 11 PM ET - the best the broadcast has done in 15 years.

The awards broadcast also delivered record audiences in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Across CBS's digital platforms, THE 70th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS drove record traffic. Unique users, visits and time spent were each up double-digit percentage points over last year.

UPDATE 10:45 am: Deadline reports that the 70th Annual TONY AWARDS on CBS delivered a 6.8/11 rating in metered markets, and was up 33% over 2015 to hit a 15-year high! Last year's broadcast delivered a 5.1/8 rating and was one of the least-watched in the show's history.

According to Programming Insider, ratings for the 70th Annual TONY AWARDS, hosted by James Corden and featuring performances from the 16-time Tony nominated musical HAMILTON, rose by 33% year-to-year. It is also the most-watched Tony telecast since at least 2009.

Last year's Tony Awards went head to head with the NBA finals and earned a 1.0/3 rating among adults 18-49 and delivered 6.46 million total viewers - a double digit decline from 2014. BWW will bring you more ratings results as they become available.

Click here to see hour by hour ratings for the CBS broadcast.

Tony Award winner James Corden, host of THE LATE LATE SHOW with JAMES CORDEN, hosed the awards show for the first time. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the TONY Awards, which were first held on April 6, 1947, to honor theater professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway. The ceremony is presented by Tony Award Productions, a joint venture of the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, which founded the Tonys.

Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment return as executive producers. Weiss will also serve as director for the 17th consecutive year.

Photo Credit: John Paul Filo/CBS