© BBC
The double firing of Vincent Disneur and Ellie Reed after the pet food advertising challenge was seen by 6.29m (24.3%) on BBC One in the 9pm hour, down 1.15m week-on-week. Spinoff show The Apprentice: You're Fired! appealed to 3.06m (14.5%) on BBC Two from 10pm.
The Apprentice was hit by Britain's Got Talent Results, which pulled in 7.47m (28.9%) from 9.30pm and 471k (2.9%) on timeshift as impressionist Les Gibson and dancer James Hobley moved into Saturday's final.
Earlier, the third Britain's Got Talent semi-final averaged 9.18m (41.8%) for ITV1 between 7.30pm and 9pm, and a further 293k (1.2%) on ITV1+1. Spinoff show Britain's Got More Talent dazzled 695k (3.7%) on ITV2 from 10pm and 122k (1.2%) on timeshift.
Comedy Life Of Riley amused 2.31m (10.2%) on BBC One from 8.30pm, and Not Going Out tickled 1.94m (14.2%) from 10.45pm.
On BBC Two, Escape to the Country mustered 1.24m (7%) between 7pm and 7.30pm. Springwatch captivated 2.22m (10.2%) between 7.30pm and 8.30pm, while 142k (0.7%) watched on the BBC HD channel. Springwatch Unsprung grabbed 1.99m (8.8%) from 8.30pm and 129k (0.4%) in HD. Wonderland entertained 700k (2.7%) in the 9pm hour.
Channel 4's Embarrassing Bodies educated 890k (3.9%) in the 8pm hour and 166k (0.6%) on +1. 24 Hours in A&E healed 1.73m (6.7%) from 9pm and 295k (1.6%) on +1. Desperate Housewives grabbed 800k (4.4%) from 10pm and 128k (1.3%) an hour later.
Pawn Stars entertained 388k (1.9%) on Channel 5 from 7.30pm, before Giant Animal Moves was seen by 483k (2.1%) in the 8pm hour. NCIS and Law & Order: Criminal Intent mustered 1.72m (6.7%) and 926k (4.8%) respectively from 10pm.
Overall, ITV1 owned primetime with 31.8% (+1: 1.2%) against BBC One's 18.3%. BBC Two came in third with 7.8%, followed by Channel 4 with 4.6% (+1: 0.7%) and Channel 5 with 3.9%.
BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional
