TV Overnights: 6.2m tune in to see The Apprentice’s latest casualty
Swapping flat pack IKEA knock offs for cow pat caked wellies, Wednesday night saw Lord Sugar’s motley crew of bumbling hopefuls head to the countryside in the fourth episode of The Apprentice (BBC One, 9pm).
Last night the confident-rich collection of candidates were tasked with sourcing fresh produce to flog in some trendy East End high street, with the predictable ‘hilarious’ results ensuing.
A 26% audience share watched as the rival teams scoured the country (that’s the parts outside of EC and WC postcodes) for the most inventive harvest and came back with the finest meat and dairy.
6.2 million viewers watched the teams make their way to the discerning customers of the East End, as team ‘Evolve’ fought their way out of their customary second place with eye-catching buffalo meat. Despite their winning name, this resulted in team Endeavour falling behind with the genius idea of pushing posh milk with Doctor Who villain, Uzma, walking the plank of shame.
The frequency in which the inept assembly of self-assured droids visit that particular area is enough to make anyone think Lord Sugar’s show was single handily responsible for the gentrification of all of East London. The show can claim success for BBC One in the 9pm slot, as it sent the competition into liquidation.
Speaking of liquids, over on ITV at the same time was the penultimate episode of northern police lass adventure show, Scott & Bailey (9pm). The seventh episode of the third series saw sisterhood take several drunken tumbles backwards as the crime fighting duo turned in their BFF badges after Bailey’s drunken antics pushed a drained Scott too far.
After Bailey has been kicked out of her mate’s house, the colleagues had to put on a brave face while poking around decaying cadavers. The frosty partnership couldn’t compete with Lord Sugar’s Carry On, only pulling in an audience of 4.5 million viewers and a 19% share.
Over on Channel 4, real life horror show 24 Hours in A&E (9pm) continued to deliver uncomfortable scenes from King’s College Hospital directly to your tellybox. Last night saw another raft of pensioners, victims of violent crime and talking heads with the staff hamming it up.
A rigid audience of 2 million viewers once again tuned in for the midweek rounds around the A&E ward, securing an 8% share.
Earlier, at 8pm, Anne Robinson and her gurning Watchdog (BBC One) team tussled with the light entertainment horror of All Star Mr & Mrs (ITV) in order to win the nation’s heart. The powerful tabloid investigative trinity of Anne, Matt Alright and Chris Hollins brought in 4.1 million, just pipping past Phillip Schofield’s 3.8 million viewers.
Even earlier at 7pm, Emmerdale brought the first taste of soap action to eager viewers lips as 6.3 million viewers (a 35% share) caught up with junkie vet Rhona dealing with agonising withdrawals.
The drama was a little more pedestrian on Coronation Street at 7:30pm but that didn’t stop the soap from grabbing the day’s biggest audience. 7.3 million viewers tuned in to ITV to see the latest chapter in Tina McIntyre’s messy crossover of her surrogate situation and her love life, resulting in a 38% share.
Overnight data is available each morning in mediatel.co.uk’s TV Database, with all BARB registered subscribers able to view reports for terrestrial networks and key multi-channel stations.