'The Apprentice' stays tuneful with 8.3m

The firing of Melody Hossaini after a disastrous performance in the investment and sales task pushed The Apprentice comfortably past 8m viewers on Wednesday night, the latest audience data has revealed.

The reality show was seen by 8.29m (33.7%) on BBC One in the 9pm hour, peaking at a massive 8.91m (35.8%) for the final 15 minutes. Spinoff The Apprentice: You're Fired! appealed to 3.39m (16.5%) on BBC Two from 10pm and 242k (1.2%) on the BBC HD channel.

Waterloo Road entertained 5.15m (24.8%) on BBC One from 7.30pm, and In With The Flynns continued with 3.52m (16.1%) from 8.30pm. Not Going Out amused 1.85m (13.7%) from 10.45pm.

On ITV1, Poms In Paradise mustered 3.34m (16.7%) on ITV1 from 7.30pm, before crime drama Lewis took 3.83m (16.5%) between 8pm and 10pm, along with 161k (0.8%) on ITV1+1.

Attenborough's Journey entertained 1.45m (7.4%) on BBC Two in the 7pm hour, before a repeat of Top Gear revved up 1.53m (7%) from 8pm. Afghanistan: The Unknown Country captivated 960k (3.9%) in the 9pm hour.

Over at Channel 4, Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance launched with 1.99m (9.2%) in the 8pm hour and 298k (1.2%) on +1. 24 Hours in A&A healed 2.29m (9.3%) from 9pm and 385k (2.1%) on timeshift. Desperate Housewives grabbed 790k (4.4%) from 10pm and 113k (1.2%) an hour later.

Zoo Days entertained 496k (2.5%) on Channel 5 from 7.30pm, before The Removal Men: Pickfords was seen by 1.03m (4.8%) in the 8pm hour. NCIS had 791k (4.2%) from 9pm, and then a screening of Hard To Kill mustered 959k (1.7%) from 10pm.

Overall, BBC One owned primetime with 24.5% against ITV1's 16.8% (+1: 0.6%). BBC Two came in third with 7.6%, followed by Channel 4 with 6.9% (+1: 1%) and Channel 5 with 3.9%.

Elsewhere, Tour De France 2011 Highlights rode away with 502k (2.5%) on ITV4 in the 7pm hour.

BARB ratings data supplied by Attentional