'Apprentice' return sets record for show

The new series of The Apprentice set a record for the show last night with the biggest audience of any of its opening episodes.

Some 6.4m viewers, or 25.6% of the audience, tuned in for the first episode of the fourth series at 9pm. The previous high was 4.5m (18.8%) for series three's opener.

Spinoff The Apprentice: You're Fired, which followed on BBC Two at 10pm, attracted a healthy 2.6m, up from 2.2m last year.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "We're delighted series four of The Apprentice and You're Fired have kicked off with such a strong start. This year promises viewers more twists and turns than ever before!"

Grand Designs Revisited, on Channel 4 at 9pm, managed to hold 3.1m (12.6%), while ITV1's Rock Rivals suffered its lowest audience so far of 2.2m (8%).

On Five in the slot was Extraordinary People: The Man with No Face, which attracted 1.7m (6%), while 1m (4%) watched investigation The Secret Peacemaker on BBC Two.

At 10pm the beginning of Desperate Housewives series four drew 2.7m (14%) to Channel 4, beating 1.8m for News at Ten on ITV1. BBC One's 10 O'Clock News led the slot with 4.8m.

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