© ITV
Now in its tenth series, the reality show pulled in to a hefty 11.23m (38%) on ITV1 between 9pm and 10.30pm, its best ever launch figures - however gradually switched off and it fell below 9m in the final 15 minutes.
Prior to I'm a Celeb, The Cube appealed to 5.71m (22%) from 7pm, after which The X Factor results show was seen by a colossal 14.51m (47.7%), peaking with a huge 16.41m (52.4%) as Aiden Grimshaw's shock exit was announced.
Strictly Come Dancing beat The X Factor in their 15-minute head-to-head between 7.45pm and 8pm, with 10.34m (34.6%) to 9.64m (32.3%).
Overall, Strictly averaged 10.55m (36.3%) for BBC One from 7.30pm for the departure of Michelle Williams.
Elsewhere on the channel, Countryfile brought in a healthy 7.55m (30.5%) at 6.30pm, then The Antiques Roadshow managed 6.25m (20.5%), and the second series of Garrow's Law - the crime drama starring Andrew Buchan - premiered to 5.35m (18.8%) at 9pm.
Making Scotland's Landscape entertained 1.03m (3.4%) on BBC Two in the 8pm hour. It was followed by James May's Man Lab with 1.26m (4.4%) and a repeat of The Trip with 830k (3.3%). Match Of The Day 2 then grabbed 2.76m (17.9%) from 10.30pm.
Over on Channel 4, Undercover Boss USA took 820k (2.7%) in the 8pm hour and 112k (0.4%) on timeshift. The programme was followed by The Secret Millionaire, which had 1.54m (5.4%). Desperate Housewives then entertained 860k (3.9%) and 208k (2%) an hour later.
Channel 5's screenings of Planet of the Apes and 10,000 BC attracted respective audiences of 931k (3.3%) and 1.61m (6.4%) from 6.45pm.
Overall, ITV1 owned primetime with 38.1% against BBC One's 22.8%. BBC Two came in third with 4.9%, followed by Channel 5 with 4.7% and Channel 4 with 4.2% (+1: 0.6%).
Elsewhere, The Xtra Factor appealed to 810k (2.8%) on ITV2 from 9pm, then I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here Now! returned to 636k (4.5%) from 10.30pm.
BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional
