The Apprentice suffers for 2nd week as I’m a Celeb nets 7.1m
For the second week in a row BBC One’s big Wednesday night draw, the uncomfortable but popular cringe-fest that is The Apprentice (9pm), was knocked off its perch as ITV’s jungle hijinks proved too powerful a draw for some viewers.
The 11th series of Lord Sugar’s vain attempt to seek out intelligent lifeforms debuted back in mid-October with 6.4 million viewers tuning in to meet the latest cluster of bizarre verb-spouting candidates.
The following weeks saw the deluded but confident troupe average out at 5.8 million viewers per episode as their ranks were whittled away by the dreaded waggling Sugar finger.
In fairness things were going swimmingly for a long-in-the-tooth show that had barely tweaked its format from its initial inception.
That was until last week’s pop-up shop-centric episode had to face off against ITV’s reality juggernaut for the first time this year, sending the usually consistent audience down to 5 million viewers.
Last night’s genius episode once again pitched the nine remaining contestants against their mortal enemy – unprofessional children – as they were tasked with hosting some high-end children’s parties. As usual, some buttock-clenching hilarity ensued.
For the second time running, just 5 million viewers tuned in to see one team disregard a nut allergy as a lifestyle choice, leading to some highly embarrassing scenes in the boardroom and resulting in a 21% share.
Meanwhile, in the deepest darkest parts of the jungle there was an audible rumble as the psychotic force of Lady Colin Campbell once again reared its aristocratic head.
Yesterday’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! (ITV, 9pm) saw the entire camp fall under the wrath of the white-haired jungle spectre as Lady C went verbally unloaded to a unprecedented level.
7.1 million viewers tuned in to see footballer Kieron Dyer – who has been under Lady C’s unholy charm since his arrival – reached breaking point and threatened to quit, resulting in a 30% share.
Over on Channel 4, the search for Grand Designs: House of the Year (9pm) wrapped up as Kevin McCloud continued to make his way into people’s homes, exploding into an excited monologue about the high-end spaces.
1.3 million viewers tuned in to see some very self-satisfied couple being handed the award, resulting in a 5% share.
Channel 5 offered some balance to the aspirational living on the other side, with the latest episode in a never-ending run of Can’t Pay? We’ll Take It Away (9pm) brining in 1 million viewers and a 4% share.
Earlier at 8pm, the cops-on-sea drama of Cuffs secured 3.2 million viewers for BBC One, while MasterChef: The Professionals (BBC Two) was watched by 2.9 million viewers and a 14% share.
The latest saccharine slice of All Star Mr & Mrs (ITV) netted 3.2 million viewers (a 15% share) with Channel 4’s The Supervet bagging 1.8 million viewers (an 8% share), while GPs: Behind Closed Doors was watched by 869,000 viewers and a 4% share.
[advert position=”left”]At 7pm, there was some stabbing action on Emmerdale (ITV) as a dishevelled Chas Dingle walked through a graveyard at night (not a great idea when you’ve got a stalker problem) only to accidentally poke a kitchen knife into poor old Diane.
An audience of 6.1 million viewers tuned in to see the bloody teatime misunderstanding, resulting in a 31% share.
Straight afterwards was Coronation Street (7:30pm) which brought in 6.6 million viewers and a 33% share, meaning ITV secured Wednesday’s top three spots.
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. Overnight data supplied by TRP are based on 15 minute slot averages. This may differ from tape checked figures, which are based on a programme’s actual start and end time.
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