Big ratings greet reality television show Hunted which includes Wodonga deputy mayor Graeme Simpfendorfer

Hunted, a reality television show involving contestants being pursued by investigative specialists, premiered on Network 10 on Sunday night.

It attracted 619,000 viewers across Australia's five-biggest cities to head its timeslot and be the biggest new show to be launched in the country this year.

Ratings for the Albury-Wodonga market were not made available to The Border Mail but including regional areas in the figures took its tally to 884,000 overall.

Cr Simpfendorfer, who was recruited to the show as a former police detective, was pleased with the numbers after being nervous about how it would be received.

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"I'm absolutely rapt with the response last night and I've noticed the ratings that have come in; it's fantastic to see it come to life after waiting so long and all the feedback has been positive," he said.

Among those watching was Cr Poulton, who joked that "he's trying to one-up me" given the mayor's media day job hosting radio 2AY's breakfast show.

"I think he's done a pretty brilliant job and judging by the online presence a lot of people were pretty excited," Cr Poulton said.

Also part of the show was former Border Mail digital journalist Alison Plasto.

She was a shooter-producer, accompanying one of the fugitive teams, Michelle and Angie, who initially travelled from Melbourne to Geelong.

The opening show also featured scenes at Lake Sambell Caravan Park at Beechworth where another pair check-in.

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