Cyclist Lance Armstrong is interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in Austin, Texas, Jan 14, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

LOS ANGELES - Oprah Winfrey's exclusive interview with disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong was watched by some 3.2 million Americans, the second highest audience for her struggling channel OWN, the US cable channel said on Friday.

OWN said the most-watched telecast in its history was Winfrey's interview with the family of the late Whitney Houston in March 2012 that drew 3.5 million viewers.

Chat show queen Winfrey quit her daytime TV show in 2011 to launch the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), a joint venture with Discovery Communications.

In the first, 90-minute part of Winfrey's interview, broadcast on Thursday and streamed live on Oprah.com., Armstrong reversed years of denials and admitted taking performance enhancing drugs during all seven of his Tour De France championship races.

A second, hour-long portion of the interview with be aired on Friday evening.