Entertainment

CBS expects huge ratings boost as Ashton Kutcher joins ‘Two and a Half Men’

CBS expects Ashton Kutcher to work wonders with the ratings when he joins “Two and a Half Men” next season, the network’s CEO Les Moonves said Thursday.

Moonves predicted Kutcher’s addition to the hit comedy could result in “huge numbers … even AFC championship type” ratings when the sitcom premieres in the fall, when he spoke at the Nomura US Media Summit in New York, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

“We’re going to have a fun fall,” he added, upbeat about the turnaround after Charlie Sheen’s embarrassing departure due to a feud with the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre.

When asked about the network’s advertising revenue, Moonves said they are expecting “very strong double digit” ad price growth. “It’s a good time to be us,” he said confidently.

At the CBS upfront presentations in May, CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler described the former host of “Punk’d” as a “deep cleansing breath” after the media hoopla surrounding Sheen.

Kutcher, 33, has only signed a one-year deal to appear on the CBS show, according to The Wall Street Journal.

He will earn roughly $20 million for a full season of “Two and a Half Men,” which spans roughly 22 to 26 episodes, according to people familiar with the situation.

That includes roughly $750,000 per an episode and additional fees.