(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Ashton Kutcher's debut in Two and a Half Men has premiered to strong ratings.

The actor replaced Charlie Sheen after he was fired earlier this year and there has been much buzz about whether he would be able to pull it off.

But season 9 of the comedy show aired last night and brought in double the viewing figures that last season's premiere had when the 46-year-old was still the star of the show playing Charlie Harper.

It was also the highest ever episode of "Men" and got Ashton off to a great start as the new star.

He plays Internet billionaire Walden Schmidt who quickly makes friends with Jon Cryer's character Alan Harper which sets up the season's storyline.

Meanwhile, Charlie Sheen appeared on his Comedy Central roast that also aired last night and said that he may have gone through a lot in the past few years but he is still going strong.

"Wow, what a night," he said to the audience and comedians who came to make jokes about him.

"Until tonight, I never realised how f**ked up I was. All this time I thought I was just having fun. The thing is once again, I come out unscathed.

"You can't hurt me hell, I can't even hurt me! Drugs couldn't kill me. Sex couldn't kill me. The press couldn't kill me. Two and a Half Men couldn't kill me. Did you really think your little jokes were going to kill me? I'm done with the winning cause I've already won." (C) Cover Media